Playbooks

For All The Downs

Shotgun·Bunch·11
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Henry Special

Breakdown

For All The Downs is a Bunch formation staple out of Shotgun that leans on the tight stack alignment to create natural rub release for the bunch receivers, functioning as a versatile man beater with built in zone answers. The concept typically features a mix of a shallow crosser, a corner breaking route, and a seam or wheel threat working off the bunch traffic to stress both underneath and deep defenders at the same time. Your primary read progression starts with the shallow route to see if it clears the middle against man coverage, then climbs to the corner breaking route as the intermediate answer, before working to the deep seam or wheel if the safety bites down or the coverage rotates late.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a two high safety shell or a single high look, since a rotated single high safety often signals man coverage or a Cover 3 buzz that opens the corner route window. Watch cornerback depth on the bunch receivers, if they are playing tight bump alignment expect man coverage and prioritize the shallow release read immediately at the snap. Post-snap, track the flow of the linebackers assigned to the crossers, if they widen out to chase the shallow route the middle of the field opens for the corner breaking route. Look for a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow zone, this is the biggest threat to the primary read and should push you to the corner or wheel route instead. This concept struggles against a well timed Cover 2 with underneath robbers or a disciplined match zone that keeps a defender on every level, since it clogs both the shallow and corner windows and forces a difficult deep throw into coverage.

Usage Tips

Check the pre-snap alignment of the second and third level defenders near the bunch to see if they are playing tight man technique or sitting off in a zone shell before the snap.

If you see man coverage with no safety help over the bunch, hot route the shallow crosser into a speed out to win instantly against a trail defender.

Against zone shells, key the flow of the underneath linebackers and throw the corner breaking route into the void they vacate when they slide toward the crossers.

Use this play on second and medium or third and short since the quick shallow read gives you a safe checkdown while the corner route stays live for a chunk gain.

Pair this call with Bunch Verts or Bunch Sail earlier in a drive so the defense respects the deep shots, then come back to For All The Downs to attack the underneath void once linebackers start sitting deeper.

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