Playbooks

X Spot

Pistol·Trips·11

Corner Curl Flat Pass Play

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetTrips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

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Breakdown

X Spot out of Pistol Trips is a quick-hitting man beater built around a spot concept from the X receiver, typically working a short hitch or curl to settle into open grass underneath the trips side while the backside runs a corner or dig to hold the safety. The three-man trips side creates natural picks against man coverage, letting the X sit down in the void created by the traffic while the slot and outer receiver clear space vertically. Primary read starts with the X on the spot route working the shallow zone, then progresses to the backside corner or comeback route if the underneath defenders sink too deep or if you diagnose zone coverage pre-snap.

Defensive Reads

Identify if the defense is in man coverage by watching the slot corner and outside corner mirror the trips receivers step for step before the snap, this confirms the pick action on the spot route will work Look for a single high safety rotating late, which signals man coverage underneath and tells you the X spot sitting down will beat the trailing defender Key the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker, if he sinks too far under the spot route the backside corner route becomes the better option Watch for a lurking user defender sitting in the shallow zone anticipating the spot route, this is the biggest threat and means you should progress immediately to your backside read Recognize zone drop timing from linebackers, if they open their hips and drop deep at the snap the spot route will find soft grass underneath before defenders can close

Usage Tips

Check the pre-snap alignment of the slot corner over trips, if he is playing tight man technique the pick action from the spot concept will spring the X open almost immediately

Use this on third and short or third and medium since the spot route sits down quickly and gives you a high floor conversion option against both man and zone

If you see two high safeties and soft corners, hot route the X into a quick out or speed out to attack the space before the flat defender can react

Pair this with Slants or Stick from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and man beating combo concepts, forcing linebackers to widen their drops

Against blitz-heavy defenses, use your hot route to convert the backside route into a quick hitch as a built-in blitz beater since the spot concept develops fast and gets the ball out before pressure arrives