Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
TE Corner out of Jumbo Near (23 personnel) lines up two receivers or backs on the field side with the TE running a corner route from a tight alignment, breaking outside off the numbers as the deep primary read. Underneath, one flat route swings out weak side while a check release runs a shallow drag/out that crosses the field into the flat opposite the corner, giving you a high low read from deep to underneath. This is a play action leaning man beater that uses the TE corner to attack a cornerback in man coverage while the flat and drag routes give you answers versus zone drops. Primary read progression starts with the TE corner against man leverage, then works down to the crossing drag and finally the flat route as your checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, check safety depth and rotation. Two high shells with the corner squatting outside will contest the TE corner route and force you into the drag or flat. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If they sink hard into underneath zones, the crossing drag route sits down right behind them for an easy completion. Man coverage on the TE with no deep safety help over the top is the green light to trust the corner route as your first read. Beware Cover 3 shells with a hard flat defender, since that alignment can jump the flat route and bait a mistimed throw. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can collapse the pocket before the corner route fully develops, so account for a quick check to the flat route as a hot answer.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or second and medium when defenses expect run out of Jumbo personnel, since the heavy personnel disguises the pass intent.
Read the cornerback over the TE before the snap. If he is playing tight man with no safety help over the top, the TE corner route wins immediately on the break.
Against zone shells, work the crossing drag route as your primary answer since it sits in the void between underneath zone defenders.
Pair this play with FB Dive and HB Inside from the same set to keep defenses honest on early downs, then dial up TE Corner once the defense starts crashing linebackers to stop the run.
If the user controlled defender jumps the flat route, immediately climb the ladder to the TE corner since that route wins deep before the defender can recover.
