Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Flood Post out of Shotgun Ace 12 personnel sends the deep post from the inline TE/X receiver up top while flooding the right side with a corner route and a flat route underneath, creating a high low read on that side. The backside receiver runs a quick out breaking to the sideline, and the RB releases into a shallow angle route out of the backfield as a checkdown or man beater against linebackers. This is a Cover 3 beater by design (per the play tags), stressing the flat defender and deep third defender simultaneously with the flood concept while the post attacks any single high safety look. Primary progression starts with the post shot read, then works down to the corner route, and settles on the flat/angle route if the top of the coverage is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Watch the free safety pre-snap. If he sits in the deep middle third, the post route is live and you must get depth and width to force him to choose between the post and the flood side corner route. Key the flat defender post snap since the flood concept is designed to put him in a bind between the flat route and the deeper corner route breaking behind him. Man coverage on the backside out route can be exploited if the CB presses hard, since the quick break to the sideline gives separation before the defender can recover. Watch for a Cover 3 sky or buzz rotation where the corner sinks into the deep third late, which can undercut the post route if you force the throw too early. Zone blitzes that bring an extra rusher off the edge can disrupt this play quickly, so identify pre-snap if the defense is showing an overload front and be ready to check down to the angle route out of the backfield.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the safety is showing single high or two high shell before the snap since the post route is your explosive play answer to Cover 3 or Cover 1. If you see two high safeties rotate late or a Cover 4 shell, be ready to work the corner route into the flat combo instead of forcing the post. Use the angle route out of the backfield as your checkdown against blitz heavy looks since it clears late and gives you a safety valve versus pressure. This play pairs well with Quick Slants or HB Quick Base as a way to condition the defense to jump underneath routes, setting up the post to hit deep on a later snap. Best called on second and long or first down shots when you want to test a defense playing soft zone or Cover 3 shells, since the post route needs room to operate vertically.
