Playbooks
Breakdown
Chip PoCo X Dig lines up in Shotgun Deuce with 12 personnel and attacks the defense with three distinct route levels. The X receiver runs a post corner from the boundary while the opposite outside receiver runs a dig across the middle, and the tight ends work chip releases into shallow out routes to the flats off the line. This is a man beater and Cover 2 beater, with the primary read progression starting at the post corner against single high safeties, working down to the dig against zone drops, and checking down to the flat routes as the QB escape valve.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap since that tells you the post corner has a soft spot to attack between the corner and safety. Watch for Cover 2 shells where the safety sits over the top, which is where the dig route becomes the higher value read against the underneath zone defenders. Key on linebacker depth at the snap since a shallow drop from the middle linebacker can jump the dig route if the quarterback holds the ball too long. Man coverage on the tight ends can be exposed by the chip and release into the flat, so watch for a user controlled defender jumping the flat route early. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender can take away both flat routes, forcing the quarterback to trust the post corner or dig against the remaining underneath defenders.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells pre-snap since the post corner route is designed to split the safety and the corner in Cover 3 or Cover 1.
If the corner sits deep and the safety cheats to the post side, come off that read fast and hit the dig route running underneath as your second progression.
Use the chip release on the tight ends to slow down edge rushers before they release into the flat, which buys extra time for the post corner to develop downfield.
This play pairs well with Double Go out of the same set since both attack vertical shells, forcing defenses to respect the deep routes before you come back with shorter concepts like Mesh Spot or PA Slide.
Best called on second and medium to long or first down shots when you want to test a single high defense, since the post corner needs time to develop against zone coverage.
