Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Smash from Pistol Ace Slot 12 personnel is a classic high low route combo designed to attack Cover 2 and other zone shells. The outside receiver runs a hitch or corner-breaking route underneath while the slot receiver clears vertically on a corner route to stack the flat defender and the deep half safety. On the backside, the outside receiver runs a deep go route to hold the corner while the tight end works a middle read crossing route over the ball, giving you a built in zone beater and man beater combo. Primary progression starts with the backside crosser against man leaks, then works to the flat and corner combo if the coverage rotates to two deep safeties.
Defensive Reads
Watch the cornerback depth pre-snap on the smash side, if he is playing off at seven yards or more he is likely sinking into a zone drop and the hitch route will be there immediately. Key the flat defender after the snap, if he sits on the hitch route the quarterback should already be progressing to the corner route behind him for the explosive gain. Track the middle linebacker or nickel defender on the crosser, a hard flat foot read or a spy technique signals man coverage underneath and tells the quarterback to speed up the throw before the crosser clears traffic. Identify two deep safeties pre-snap as the biggest tell this route concept will work, since true Cover 2 leaves the corner route in a natural hole between the flat and deep defenders. Beware of a Cover 3 sky or match shell with a hard flat rotation, since a fast corner blitz off the edge combined with a deep third defender jumping the corner route can bait a bad throw.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two deep safeties split evenly this is your green light to attack the smash side flat to corner combo. Against man coverage, hot route the middle read crosser to a slant or dig to speed up the throw and avoid the sack when a corner blitz shows late. Use this play on second and medium to third and short since the underneath hitch and crosser give you easy completion windows against zone drops. Pair this call with PA FL Stretch or Flood earlier in a series so defenders start jumping the flat route, opening up the deep corner throw for a big gain. Against aggressive man teams, look to the backside go route on max protect calls when you diagnose single high safety pre-snap.
