Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slot Option is a three-man route concept out of the Bunch TE look with the bunch stack releasing vertically and the option route reading the flow of a defender underneath. The two outside receivers from the bunch clear vertically, one bending to the corner and one settling on a deep out, while the option route runs a rub-influenced option in the middle read against the leverage of the nearest linebacker or nickel defender. The X receiver on the backside runs a wheel-style route breaking to the boundary flat and up the sideline. This is a man beater built off the option route mechanics: the primary read is the option receiver reading the underneath defender, then working to the corner or the backside wheel if the option gets jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a linebacker or nickel aligned inside the bunch at snap, since his leverage tells you which way the option route will break. Man coverage with no safety help over the bunch is the shell this play punishes hardest, especially if the corner overplays the corner route and opens the option read. Zone coverage with a flat defender sitting under the bunch and a deep half safety rotated over the top takes away both the option and the corner route, forcing a quick check down. Post-snap, key the underneath defender's first two steps: if he sits and reads instead of chasing the option's break, he is playing off coverage or zone and the throw window closes fast. Blitz packages that bring pressure off the backside edge can beat this before the option route even breaks, so check protection and slide the backside if you see numbers advantage for the defense.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether you are getting man or zone by watching the nickel or linebacker walk out over the bunch, since the option route lives on leverage and disappears against a true zone drop.
Hot route the backside X into a quicker breaking route on third and short if you need an immediate answer instead of the developing wheel.
Use this on second and medium or third and medium against man coverage teams that like to press or bump the bunch, since the option route can break away from a defender playing outside leverage.
Pair this with Bunch Levels or Indy Bunch in the same set so the defense sees the same bunch launch point and cannot key the option concept from split alignment alone.
If the user jumps the option route with a lurking linebacker, immediately look to the corner route breaking away from the safety help on the top of the stack.
