Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slants out of Y Off Trips in Pistol sends the trips side into a double slant look with the outside receiver and slot both breaking hard to the inside on quick angle routes, while the third trips receiver runs an option route out of the backfield area of the route stem. The backside X receiver runs a deep in cut from the opposite side to occupy that half of the field and hold the safety. This is a man beater built on quick separation and rub potential from the bunched trips alignment, with the primary read starting on the inside slant working from the near slot to the outside slant based on which defender flows first.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot and outside corners on the trips side pre-snap, tight man alignment with no help over the top means the slants will win quickly. If linebackers are sitting shallow with their eyes in the backfield, they can jump the inside slant, so be ready to reset to the option route or backside in route. Zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 with linebackers sinking into the throwing lanes are the toughest matchup for this concept since the slants have nowhere to sit against a sunk zone drop. Identify any user controlled defender lurking in the middle of the field, since a sim linebacker or spy can jump the near slant route and bait a turnover. Blitz packages that send extra rushers but leave man coverage on the outside actually help this play, so trust the slant to win against pressure if protection holds even a beat.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like tight press alignment on the trips receivers, since the slant combo thrives against man because of the natural rub created by stacked releases.
Get the ball out on time to the first open slant before underneath linebackers can flow and undercut the throwing lane, this is a rhythm throw not a play to hold onto.
Use this on third and short or second and medium when you need a high percentage completion with YAC upside off the slant angle.
Hot route the backside X into a quick out or speed out if you see a corner sitting in a hard outside shade, giving you a second quick option away from trips.
Pair this with Curls or Four Verticals from the same set so defenses respecting the slant window get punished for jumping underneath routes on later downs.
