Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Quick Slants out of Shotgun Ace 12 personnel sends both outside receivers on quick slant routes crossing underneath, with the two inline tight ends releasing on outlet routes toward the sideline behind them. The backfield stays in to protect, keeping the running back and one tight end available for pass protection against pressure. This is a classic man beater built to attack off-man leverage and win with immediate separation, with the primary read progression starting to the side of the defense's leverage or the field slant and working across to the backside slant if the first window is closed.
Defensive Reads
Watch for press man corners jumping the slant route immediately after the snap, since that signals a squat and jump technique. Identify Cover 2 shells with the corners sitting outside, since that leaves the slant window open underneath the safeties. Key the middle linebacker's initial drop, since a fast drop into the slant lanes signals zone match coverage designed to take away this exact route combo. Look for a lurking user defender sitting in the shallow crossing lanes, since that is the biggest threat to both slants on this concept. Recognize blitz packages with off-ball linebackers crashing downhill, since the quick timing of the slants can still beat man blitz if the receivers get a clean release.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, check corner alignment for outside leverage or press man, since that tells you which slant will break open first.
Use this play on 3rd and short to medium, since the quick timing of the slants beats the blitz before it arrives.
Hot route the backside tight end into a shallow drag if you see zone shells like Cover 3 sink underneath, giving you an extra outlet against zone drops.
Pair this with RPO Peek Slant or RPO Zone Peek in the same set to keep linebackers honest, since both plays share the same initial route look but attack the box differently.
Snap the ball quickly against disguised blitzes since the slants clear the underneath zones before extra rushers arrive.
