Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Flanker Dig out of Pistol Wing Close (12 personnel) shows a deep dig route from the boundary receiver breaking hard across the field, a vertical seam route from the inline tightend up the middle, and a red-coded dig/square-in route from the slot that sits over the middle of the field. Underneath, the backside receiver runs a drag while the running back releases to the flat, giving the quarterback a full-field high-low read from deep dig to seam to underneath drag. This is a man beater built to attack in-breaking windows against man coverage, with the seam route stressing single-high safeties and the drag serving as a built-in checkdown against blitz. Primary progression starts with the deep dig, works down to the seam if the safety jumps the crosser, and finishes at the drag/flat for a safety valve.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot defender at the snap, if he opens his hips and runs with the dig route in man coverage, that confirms a man beater matchup you can exploit all game. Key the single-high safety, if he sits deep in the middle of the field he can jump the dig route late, so be ready to hit the seam route underneath him instead. Identify Tampa 2 or deep half zone shells pre-snap, this play struggles against a sitting linebacker who can wall off the dig route in the intermediate zone. Post-snap, look for a lurking linebacker or nickel defender sinking into the throwing lane of the dig, that is the primary defender who can jump this route and bait a turnover. If the defense shows an overload blitz to the play side, get the ball out quickly to the drag or flat route before the protection breaks down.
Usage Tips
Call this on second or third and medium when you expect man coverage since the dig route wins on separation against trailing corners.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties rotate to a single high shell post-snap, hit the seam route immediately before the window closes.
Use the drag route as your answer against blitz-heavy fronts, it clears out quickly and gives the quarterback a fast release valve.
Pair this play with PA Boot Levels or PA Boot Lt earlier in a drive so the defense respects play-action, then come back to Flanker Dig to attack the same landmarks off a straight drop.
Motion or shift the tightend before the snap to get a pre-snap read on man versus zone, if the defender follows across the formation you have a clean man beater matchup for the dig.
