Playbooks
Breakdown
RPO Zone Peek is a run pass option built out of Shotgun Ace 12 personnel that pairs an inside zone run scheme with a peek route (usually a slant or quick in breaking route) from the slot or attached TE. The QB reads the play side second level defender, typically a linebacker or slot corner, to decide between handing off the zone run or pulling and throwing the peek route into the vacated window. This is a zone beater against light boxes and honest linebacker flow, and it also punishes man coverage that clears out the underneath area when the defender bites on run flow.
Defensive Reads
Watch the play side linebacker depth before the snap, if he is stacked tight to the line he is likely a run blitz threat and the peek throw should be live. Check for a robbing safety or nickel defender sitting in the peek route window, if that defender stays high and does not bite on run flow the RPO read favors the handoff. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells, the peek defender is usually the flat or curl-flat player, if he stays wide the middle window opens for the throw. Man coverage with no underneath help on the peek defender is an automatic pull and throw read since the route wins one on one leverage. Beware of user controlled defenders spying the mesh point or crashing the A gap, this is the primary way defenses shut down the RPO by taking away both options simultaneously.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and if there are six or fewer defenders in the box lean toward keeping the ball on the zone run.
Identify whether the play side linebacker is reading run or pass at the snap, if he flows hard toward the line of scrimmage pull the ball immediately for the peek throw.
Use hot routes to adjust the backside receivers into a hitch or slant if you anticipate man coverage rolling your primary peek defender's help.
This play works best on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) because the run threat keeps the defense honest and sets up the RPO conflict.
Sequence this with Inside Zone and Power Read from the same formation so defenders cannot key on personnel or formation tendencies, then hit RPO Zone Peek once the defense starts crashing down on run action.
