Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 14 playbooks
Breakdown
Return Spot out of Shotgun Bunch X Nasty runs the classic Spot concept from the bunch side with a pre-snap motion tag that returns a receiver across the formation before the snap. Off the bunch you get a corner route stretching vertically outside, a hitch/curl at the top of the numbers, and a shallow drag sitting underneath from the motion man, while the backside X runs a deep vertical shot up the sideline as a solo route. This is a Cover 3 beater by design (the flat-to-corner stretch attacks the cornerback and hard flat defender), and the primary read progression starts with the corner-flat stretch on the bunch side before working down to the shallow drag as the underneath outlet.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and cornerback alignment over the bunch: a single high safety with soft corner alignment signals Cover 3, which this concept is built to attack. Watch the flat defender after the snap: if he sinks with the corner route immediately, the shallow drag underneath will be wide open for an easy checkdown. User the cornerback over the bunch to jump the corner route if you suspect the flood concept, since taking away the deep corner forces the offense into the shallow drag which allows your linebackers time to close. Man coverage with inside leverage on the bunch receivers can disrupt the shallow drag's release, so bump-and-run corners or aggressive nano blitzes off the edge can beat this before the routes develop. Watch for the backside X going deep on a solo release; a single high safety who bites on the underneath flood leaves that vertical shot exposed, so a robber or match zone defender needs to stay aware of that backside threat.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify if the defense rotates or bumps a defender, which instantly tells you if you are facing man or zone coverage.
Against Cover 3, hit the corner route first since it forces the deep third defender to widen and opens the flat defender for the shallow drag underneath.
Save this play for third and medium to third and long situations where the flood concept on the bunch side has room to develop and the QB has time in the pocket to work through the corner to shallow drag progression.
Pair this with Mesh Spot or Return Mesh Spot in the same set so the defense has to respect both a flood concept and a mesh concept out of the same bunch look, keeping linebackers honest.
If the defense shows man coverage with tight bunch alignment, hot route the backside X vertical into a quick option route to give yourself a faster answer against man beaters.
