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Breakdown
Levels out of Pistol Trips Open runs a true levels concept from the trips side: the inside slot breaks off a deep in that clears to the opposite sideline, the outside receiver runs a square-in behind it at intermediate depth, and the third trips receiver releases on a shallow drag underneath, creating a three-tier stack of horizontal breaking routes. The backside single receiver runs a deep comeback to hold the corner and safety on that edge, giving you a built-in outlet away from the trips traffic. This is a classic Cover 2 beater and zone beater that stresses linebackers and safeties horizontally, with the primary read progressing from the deep in read down to the underneath drag if the levels window is capped.
Defensive Reads
Watch the two safeties at the snap, if they stay high and wide this concept has a clean throwing lane into the deep in against Cover 2. Key the flat footed linebacker to the trips side, if he sinks too far under the deep in the underneath drag opens up immediately. Look for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the intermediate zone, since that player can jump the square in route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares it down. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed on the deep in against a trailing defender, so press or match coverage on the slot receiver is the best answer. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the backside can be neutralized by the comeback route, so defenses need a corner staying disciplined on that single receiver to fully shut this play down.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the safeties are showing two high, since this concept is built to attack Cover 2 by stacking three horizontal windows on the trips side.
Read the deep in first, it is your explosive play answer against Cover 2 or Cover 3 defenders sitting flat footed.
If the deep in window is capped by a sinking linebacker or robber safety, work down to the intermediate square in and finally to the shallow drag as your checkdown against pressure.
Use the backside comeback route as a hot answer if the defense rotates hard to the trips side or brings a blitz off that edge.
Pair this play with Levels Switch or Verticals from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the deep in read once they have seen it once or twice.
