Playbooks
At a Glance
In 16 playbooks
Overview
Bunch Wide Nasty takes the standard Shotgun bunch alignment and widens it toward the numbers, stacking three receivers in a tight cluster while leaving a single receiver isolated on the backside. That widened placement is the key difference from a compressed Bunch or Bunch Tight look: the cluster sits far enough outside that defenses cannot cheat safety help over the top without abandoning the iso side, and the extra field width gives your bunch releases more room to work horizontally before contact. With 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE), the tight end typically works from inside the bunch, which lets you use a slower, bigger body as the pick man while your speed receivers run free off the rub.
The alignment creates natural traffic on every man coverage snap. Cheat Drag Rub Crosser, Mesh Drive, and Cheat Clearout Drag all weaponize the bunch spacing to legally screen defenders, and against Cover 1 or Cover 2 Man the trailing route consistently comes open with a cushion. Against zone, the set flips to a spacing attack: Z Spot, Spacing Switch, and Cheat Spot flood the curl and flat windows at three levels, while Flood Switch and Cheat Flood Switch stress the sideline third with a high low read that punishes Cover 3 corners.
The isolated backside receiver is where the matchup advantage really lives. Because defenses have to declare help toward the bunch, your X gets one on one looks nearly every snap, so putting your best route runner or fastest deep threat alone on that side turns Verticals, Cheat Post Slot Cross, and Cheat Wheel Post into instant home run reads. The 3DRB and Power HB tags give you screen and run flexibility too, with HB Slip Screen, HB Angle Screen, Inside Zone, and Cheat Inside Zone keeping pressure honest when opponents start pinning ears back against the pass heavy look.
Strengths
- Bunch spacing generates legal rubs on every man coverage snap, making Cheat Drag Rub Crosser, Mesh Drive, and Cheat Clearout Drag near automatic man beaters against Cover 1 and 2 Man.
- The isolated backside receiver gets one on one leverage almost every snap, so Verticals, Cheat Post Slot Cross, and Cheat Wheel Post turn into instant iso reads with no safety cap.
- Spacing and flood concepts (Z Spot, Spacing Switch, Cheat Spot, Flood Switch) put three receivers in adjacent zone windows, forcing Cover 3 curl flat defenders into unwinnable choices.
- Built in screen game with HB Slip Screen, HB Angle Screen, and Cheat HB Slip Screen leverages the widened bunch as downfield blockers, so aggressive edge pressure turns into chunk yardage.
- Jet Pull Shallow, Jet Shallow Swirl, and Jags Duval add motion based misdirection that shifts zone landmarks pre snap and reveals man versus zone before the snap.
Weaknesses
- The widened bunch leaves the middle of the field vacant pre snap, so A gap and mug looks get free runners with only one back and a tight end aligned in the cluster to help protect.
- Bunch releases take time to develop, meaning six man pressure and nano blitzes off the iso side can arrive before the rub route clears traffic.
- User controlled defenders can sit on the bunch side and pattern match the shallow crosser, since Mesh Drive and Cheat Drag Rub Crosser all funnel routes into the same intermediate window.
- Wide alignment pushes throws to the far numbers, and Cover 2 or Quarters with a hard flat squeeze can wall the flood concepts and force late sideline throws into help.
- Run plays are limited to Inside Zone and Cheat Inside Zone, so opponents who read the wide bunch as a pass tendency can spam pass commit or press coverage with minimal downside.
Usage Tips
Motion a bunch receiver across the formation pre snap to diagnose coverage: if a defender travels, run your rub concepts, if the defense stays put, check to Z Spot or Spacing Switch and attack the flat and curl windows.
Put your fastest receiver on the isolated backside side and hot route him on a fade or slant depending on corner leverage, then use Verticals or Cheat Post Slot Cross when the safety rotates toward the bunch.
On third and medium, lean on Mesh Drive, Choice Shallow Dig, or Cheat Clearout Drag and read the trail route first, since bunch traffic delays the man defender long enough to create a natural conversion.
When you see mug or double A gap looks, check into HB Slip Screen, HB Angle Screen, or Cheat HB Slip Screen and let the widened receivers block downfield instead of trying to survive the protection.
Alternate Inside Zone and Cheat Inside Zone out of this look early to keep opponents from pass committing, then run Cheat Wheel Post or Flood Switch off that same tendency for a deep shot.
