Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Double Outs from Shotgun Bunch X Nasty lines up three receivers tight to the formation with a lone X isolated to the backside. The bunch releases into a double out concept: the outside receiver breaks hard to the sideline for a shallow out, while the middle receiver crosses underneath and pushes to a deeper out on the opposite hash, creating a natural rub and high low stretch on the flat and hook zone defenders. The backside X runs a deep dig that bends across the field, giving you a full field flood read with the shallow out as the first progression, the deeper crossing out as the second, and the backside dig as the home run answer against zone drops. This is primarily a zone beater built to attack cover 3 and cover 2 flat defenders, though the natural rub from the bunch release gives it some man beating utility against tight coverage too.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender first, if he widens with the shallow out you have a soft window underneath for the crossing route Watch for a sitting linebacker or lurking safety in cover 3, since the crossing out route can be undercut if the defense keys the bunch release quickly Against cover 2 the corner has to choose between the shallow out and staying deep, forcing a natural conflict that favors the offense if the safety does not rotate over fast Man coverage with inside leverage on the bunch receivers gets exposed by the natural pick action created by the stacked release Beware disguised cover 4 or match quarters looks where the safety can rob the deep dig from the backside X, since that route has no help underneath if the defense sits on it
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the flat defender is sitting on the short out or bailing to the deep half, that tells you whether to start your read with the shallow out or work through to the crossing route
Use motion out of the bunch to confirm man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows across the formation you know its man and the rub concept becomes your friend
Hot route the backside X into a deeper comeback or hitch against aggressive corner blitzes since that receiver is isolated with no help
Best used on second and medium to long or third and medium when you need a horizontal stretch with a vertical answer built in
Pair this with Mtn Mesh Cross or Mesh Spot from the same set to keep the defense guessing between rub concepts and mesh concepts out of a similar bunch look
