Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Seam Divide is a bunch-spread pass concept built to attack the seams with a true divide route combo. Off the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a divide seam straight up the hash while the inside bunch receiver breaks to a corner/flag route, splitting the safety at the top of the read. Underneath, the backside receiver runs a deep crossing dig to the far sideline, the flanker off the line runs a short out, and the running back releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the sideline. This is a man beater at its core, using the seam and wheel to stress any defender trying to carry vertically through traffic, with the primary read progressing from the seam to the corner and settling to the wheel or dig against zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment over the bunch because a single high safety cannot cover both the seam and the corner route without help from a underneath defender. Key the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks with the seam route it opens the crossing dig behind him for an easy completion. Watch for user-controlled safeties sitting on the corner route since that is the most common lurk spot defenders jump to bait the quarterback. Against Cover 3, the seam route will split the deep third defenders, so identify which cornerback or safety is responsible for the middle third and attack that soft spot before he can adjust his drop. Blitz-heavy defenses will try to disrupt the wheel route with a linebacker spy, so if you see extra rushers crashing the edge, expect the wheel to be picked up late and check down to the flanker's out route instead.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two-high or single-high safety look because the seam route wins big against single-high man coverage when the safety has to flip his hips late. Use motion or a hot route on the flanker's short out to create an easy hitch throw if the defense shows blitz off the edge. Against zone shells, key the flow of the underneath linebackers and look to hit the deep crossing dig behind them once the seam and corner routes clear out the safeties. This play pairs well with Corner Divide out of the same set since both threaten the same seam and corner window, letting you keep the defense guessing on which vertical route to jump. Best called on second and long or third and medium when you need a big chunk play and the defense is likely to play off coverage to protect against the run.
