Playbooks

Bench Corner Strike

Pistol·Wing Slot·12

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Bench Corner Strike is a route combination out of Pistol Wing Slot 12 personnel designed to attack the boundary and intermediate zones with a bench (out) route paired with a corner route stacked to overload one side. This is a man beater at its core, using the corner route to stack outside leverage while the bench route sits underneath as a rhythm throw against off coverage or soft zone drops. The primary read progression starts with the corner route against single high safety looks, then works down to the bench route as the checkdown against tight man coverage or when the corner is blanketed.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the corner is playing off man or bailing into zone, since Bench Corner Strike loses value against a hard sink Cover 4 shell where the corner route gets doubled. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, this tips man coverage underneath and opens the window for the corner route against the sideline. Post-snap, key the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker, if he sits on the bench route the corner route wins over the top, if he bails deep the bench route is wide open. User controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate zone can jump the bench route, so be ready to reset to the corner if you see a defender sink into that throwing lane. This play struggles against Cover 2 with a hard flat defender and safety help over the top, since both routes get squeezed between the corner and safety, look to bail to a different concept if you see this shell pre-snap.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety rotate to the corner route side, that is your green light to throw the corner immediately off the snap.

Use hot routes to convert the bench route into a quick out if the corner shows hard press man, giving you a rhythm throw against aggressive CBs.

This play shines on second and medium or third and short to medium since the bench route gives you a high percentage completion underneath if the corner is taken away.

Pair Bench Corner Strike with Hitch Corners or Y Stick from this set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and vertical shots, forcing linebackers to widen their drops.

Against Cover 3, target the corner route in the deep third seam before the flat defender can widen, since the corner route settles into the void the flat defender vacates.

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