Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Jet Pull Shallow out of Shotgun Bunch Y-Flex sends the bunch receiver on a deep vertical up the numbers while the two inside bunch pieces work a shallow cross underneath, one dragging flat under the coverage from the right side to the left and the other sitting down on a short in-breaker at the second level. The backside X runs a jet motion style flare out of the backfield to the left flat, giving a built-in checkdown and horizontal stretch against underneath defenders. This is a man beater and zone beater hybrid: the shallow drag creates natural rub traffic against man coverage while the vertical and flat routes stretch zone defenders high to low. Primary read progression starts with the vertical shot if the corner bites on the shallow, then works down to the shallow crosser, and finishes with the flat route as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the safety alignment: a single high safety signals Cover 1 or Cover 3, which opens the vertical route as a big play window if your corner is playing off. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink deep to take away the shallow cross the flat route underneath becomes the answer against that leverage. Key the motion defender, if a linebacker or safety follows the jet motion man across the field that confirms man coverage and tells you to lean on the shallow drag rub concept. This play struggles against a hard blitz with no underneath help, since the shallow and flat routes need time to develop, so respect the user blitz threat off the edge and get through your progression fast. Cover 2 with a sinking flat defender can undercut the shallow crosser, so if you see a corner sitting in the shallow zone hold the ball and look to the vertical or reset to the flat route on the opposite side.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you are getting man coverage and the shallow drag will have a big rub advantage.
Take the shot up top first if you see single high safety or a corner cheating down to jump the shallow route, the vertical route can house it against Cover 3 or Cover 1 with no help over the top.
Against zone shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4, work the shallow cross into the void behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties, this is your bread and butter throw on third and medium.
Pair this play with HB Choice or HB Slip Screen earlier in a series to get defenders flowing downhill on run fits, then come back to Jet Pull Shallow to hit the shallow drag once linebackers start cheating up.
Best used on second and medium to third and long where the shallow crosser and flat route give you a high floor completion while the vertical route keeps deep defenders honest.
