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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
China Double In is a dual in-breaking route concept out of the Shotgun Ace Slot Offset 12 personnel set, designed to attack the middle of the field with two in routes stacked at different depths, typically paired with a flat or shallow drag from the backfield or opposite side. This is a man beater at its core, since the in routes create natural rub potential and separation against trail technique, but it also holds up against zone thanks to the two-level in route stack sitting down in soft spots between linebackers and safeties. The primary read progression starts with the deep in route working from outside to inside, then works down to the shorter in route, and finally checks down to the underneath flat or drag route if both in routes are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing, since a single high safety signals Cover 1 or Cover 3 where the deep in route has room to sit down between the hash and the numbers. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, because linebackers who drop too shallow or bite on run action leave a wide throwing lane for both in routes. User a rangy linebacker or nickel defender and sit him in the passing lane of the shallow in route to bait the quarterback into a predictable throw and jump the route for a pick six opportunity. Cover 3 sky or cloud shells with a hard-corner flat defender can undercut the shorter in route, so key the flat defender's eyes to see if he is sinking under the in route. Man coverage with a robber safety in the middle of the field is the best answer, since the robber can sit in the throwing window between the two in routes and discourage the deep in read entirely.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following your slot receiver across the formation confirms man coverage and green lights the deep in route immediately.
Attack this play on second and medium to second and long situations where linebackers are more likely to sit in shallow zone drops and open passing lanes for the in routes.
If you see a two-high safety shell, hot route the outside receiver into a deeper in or dig to stress the seams between the safeties, since the base concept sits a bit shallow against Cover 2.
Pair China Double In with PA Verts or PA Y Corner from the same set to keep linebackers honest on play action after you have shown them the quick in route timing.
Set up China Double In after running Inside Zone or RPO Alert Bubble a few times, since defenses that key run fits or crash on the bubble will bite on linebacker flow and open up the in routes behind them.
