Playbooks
Seattle
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Seattle is a play-action four verts concept out of Pistol Bunch 11 personnel, built to attack deep coverage voids. From the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a go route up the sideline, the middle bunch receiver bends a deep post through the middle of the field, and the inside bunch receiver climbs a seam. The backside receiver runs a deep cross to flood the opposite half of the field, while the play-action fake holds linebackers and creates a clean pocket for a deep drop. This is a classic Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, with the primary read progression starting at the post attacking the deep middle void, then working to the seam and deep cross if the safety jumps the post.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify two-high versus one-high safety shells since this determines whether the post or seam becomes your primary target. Watch for a safety cheating toward the bunch side, which signals a possible Cover 3 buzz rotation designed to take away the seam and post combo. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's depth: if he sinks deep to wall the post, immediately look to the seam route working behind him. Beware of a delayed blitz or nano blitz off the edge since the play-action drop can be exploited by defenders crashing before the fake fully sells. Man coverage with a deep third safety lurking can undercut the post, so if you see press coverage combined with a single high safety, prioritize the deep cross or seam instead of forcing the post throw.
Usage Tips
Use Seattle on 2nd or 3rd and long when you need an explosive gain and can afford a longer play-action drop.
Check the safety alignment before the snap: if you see two deep safeties splitting the field evenly, target the post since it will split the difference between them.
Against single high safety looks (Cover 3 or Cover 1), work the seam route first since the middle linebacker or deep safety will have a hard time covering both the post and seam.
Hot route the deep cross into a shorter drag or hitch if you see man coverage with no safety help, since the deep cross naturally clears out underneath zones for a shallow adjustment.
Pair Seattle with Curl Flat or Spacing earlier in a drive to bait the defense into sitting on shorter routes, then hit them with the double move verticality of Seattle for a big shot play.
