Playbooks
Doubles Flex WK Pats is a Patriots-flavored 2x2 look out of Shotgun. It detaches the tight end into a flexed slot alignment on the weak side, so the defense sees balanced width with a traditional in-line blocker removed from the box. Standard Shotgun Doubles keeps receivers stacked in conventional slot and outside positions. This set puts a bigger body in the weak slot, which forces the defense to choose between matching with a linebacker, a safety, or a nickel corner. That single decision drives most of the matchup advantages. A linebacker on the flexed tight end is a man beater waiting to happen on crossers and corners, while a nickel corner opens up the run game and quick hitters to the weak side.
The play list follows the classic New England concept tree built on option-style reads, horizontal stretches, and motion. Patriots Drive, Patriots Drag, and Slot Cross flood the underneath zones with shallow and dig combinations that punish both Cover 3 hook defenders and man coverage in traffic. Patriots Spot gives you a true triangle read (snag, flat, corner) that attacks Cover 2 and Cover 4 flat defenders. The motion tagged plays (Mtn Mesh Y Corner, Mtn PA Y Middle Read, Mtn Slot Post) use pre-snap movement to reveal man or zone and create leverage before the ball is snapped.
On the ground, the set carries a legitimate menu for a spread formation: HB Counter, Mtn HB Sweep, and RPO Power Alert. The screen game (Fl Screen, Doubles Flex WK Swap, Mtn HB Cross Screen) gives you answers against heavy pressure. Removing the tight end from the core thins out the box count, so the runs hit lighter fronts. The screens and swaps punish defenders who crash on the pass rush or play press on the outside receivers.
On 3rd and short to medium, check Mtn Mesh Y Corner against any Cover 1 or Cover 0 look, since the mesh rubs generate easy separation and the corner route beats a linebacker matched on the flexed tight end.
If the defense shows two high safeties with only six in the box, audible to RPO Power Alert or HB Counter and attack the light front, then pair it later with Mtn PA Y Middle Read to hit the vacated middle once linebackers start triggering downhill.
Against Cover 3, run Patriots Drive and read the hook defender: throw the dig if he drops underneath the shallow, and hit the shallow if he widens or sinks to the dig.
When you see a nickel blitz or a cornerback walking down on the weak side, hot route the flexed tight end to a slant or quick out, or check to Doubles Flex WK Swap to get the ball outside the pressure quickly.
Use Patriots Spot in the red zone and on 2nd and medium against Cover 2, reading the flat defender: if he jumps the flat route, throw the corner behind him, and if he sits, take the snag or flat for a clean completion.