Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Chip Dig 7 Stop from Shotgun Deuce Close aligns two receivers into a chip release before working a deep dig, while the backside runs a corner and both outside receivers run stop routes on the boundary. The middle running back releases into a short check down over the middle, giving the quarterback a layered progression from underneath to intermediate to deep. This is a zone beater at its core, using the dig to sit in the void behind linebackers and in front of deep zone defenders while the stop routes give a quick answer to soft corners. Primary read progression starts with the dig crossing the middle, then works to the backside corner route if the safety bites underneath, with the running back check down as the emergency valve.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high shell, since Cover 3 and Cover 1 leave the dig route vulnerable sitting behind the linebackers. Watch the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks with the dig route and does not widen, the backside corner route becomes the better throw. Key the corner over the stop routes, if he sits at a soft cushion the stop route is an easy completion but if he presses and jumps it the quarterback needs to look elsewhere immediately. User-controlled defenders dropping into a lurk position over the middle can jump the dig route, so quarterbacks need to see if the defense is spying that throwing lane before committing. This concept struggles against disguised Cover 6 or quarters shells where both underneath and deep zones are covered simultaneously, forcing the checkdown to the running back as the only clean outlet.
Usage Tips
Take a pre-snap look at the safeties before the snap, if you see a single high safety the corner route on the backside has a clear window to attack the deep third. Use this on second and medium to second and long since the dig needs time to develop and the stop routes give a safe checkdown if the rush closes fast. If the defense shows Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells, hot route the outside stop routes into fades or use the checkdown to the running back for easy yards after catch. Pair this play with Mtn Stick or Both Stick in your call sheet so the defense has to respect the quick game before you hit them with the deeper dig concept. Against man coverage, key on the linebacker covering the running back release, if he widens with the back you have an even bigger throwing window for the dig sitting behind him.
