Playbooks

Zona Bunch

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

MUT KO Heavy Blitz OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Zona Bunch is a zone beating concept out of the Shotgun Bunch formation that uses the tight bunch alignment to create natural rubs and picks against zone defenders. The route combo works high low and horizontal stretch, with receivers settling into soft spots between zone landmarks, forcing linebackers and safeties to choose which void to defend. The primary read progression starts with the inside seam or sit route working off the middle of the field defender, then works out to the flat or spacing route on the boundary side as the zone rotates.

Defensive Reads

Read the middle linebacker or the flat defender first since Zona Bunch is designed to put stress on the shortest zone drop in the concept. If you see Cover 2 or Cover 3 zone shells with the corners bailing at the snap, expect the sit routes to sit down in the soft spot behind the underneath defenders and in front of the deep defenders. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, since that user controlled defender can jump the intermediate sit route and turn it into a turnover if the quarterback stares it down too long. Man coverage with press corners and no deep help is the shell that shuts this play down fastest, since the bunch alignment loses its rub advantage once defenders play tight man technique with a deep half safety over the top. Blitz heavy fronts with Cover 0 or Cover 1 pressure force a fast, quick game answer, so key the box count and be ready to check to a hot route or a quick game alert if the defense shows more rushers than you have blockers.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, look for two high safeties or a single high robber shell since Zona Bunch is built to exploit soft zone spacing rather than beat man coverage. If the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 with off corners, trust the sit and settle routes to find grass between the flat defender and the deep zone defender. Use motion out of the bunch to force the defense to declare match or spot drop zone rules before the snap, which tells you whether to attack the flat or the intermediate window. This play pairs well with Bunch Verts and Bunch Sail in a play calling sequence because both threaten vertical shots off the same bunch look, keeping zone defenders honest and opening up the sit routes on Zona Bunch. Call this on second and medium or third and short situations where the defense is more likely to sit in zone shells rather than bring pressure, since Zona Bunch struggles if the protection breaks down against a five or six man rush.

Other Plays in Bunch