Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Stick out of Pistol Trips is a quick-hitting man and zone beater built for fast, decisive throws. From the trips side, the outside receiver runs a vertical clear-out, the middle receiver runs the stick route (a short hitch that settles at the sticks), and the inside slot receiver runs a flat route underneath, forming the classic stick triangle. Backside, the single receiver runs a deep vertical to hold the corner and safety, while the RB releases on a swing/flat route out of the backfield for a checkdown option against blitzes. The primary read progression is stick to flat to swing, with the QB working outside-in based on how the defense flows to the trips side.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender (corner or linebacker) at the snap, if he sinks with the flat route the stick route is wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Against man coverage, look for the stick receiver to break away from his defender at the top of the route, this is the quickest man beater window in the concept. Cover 3 defenses with a hard-charging Sam or Will linebacker can jump the flat route, so be ready to reset to the stick or swing check-down. User linebackers sitting in a lurk position over the stick route will bait the QB into an interception, so scan the flat and swing before committing to the middle read. Blitz-heavy fronts get neutralized by the RB swing route, which acts as a built-in hot route answer to five or six man pressure looks.
Usage Tips
Use this on third and short to medium since the stick and flat routes both settle underneath the sticks for an easy conversion.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man or zone by checking the slot corner depth over the trips side, tight coverage signals man so the stick route sitting down can still separate off the break.
If you see a Cover 3 or Cover 4 shell, key the flat defender: if he widens with the flat route the stick route opens up in the void behind him.
Hot route the backside single receiver into a quick out or slant if you are facing heavy zone drop coverage underneath, since the deep vertical alone does not threaten shallow zones.
Pair this play with Slants or Inside Cross from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick underneath throws and crossing patterns, forcing linebackers to respect multiple option routes off the same trips look.
