Playbooks
Patriots Drive out of Shotgun Doubles Flex WK is a levels-based Cover 4 beater built to attack the seams and hi-lo the underneath defenders with a drive concept. The concept stacks a deep dig or bender over an in-cut drive route while the backside runs a corner or vertical stem to hold safety help, creating a natural hi-lo read against zone drops. The primary progression starts with the deep dig or post shot against Cover 4 quarters, then works down to the drive route running underneath for the easy completion if the deep shot is capped.
Look for two deep safeties at snap, this is your Cover 4 quarters shell and the dig or post route should sit down in the seam behind the linebackers for an easy throw. If corners are playing tight man technique with no safety help over the top, expect Cover 1 or Cover 3 man match, in which case the drive route underneath becomes your primary read since the deep route will likely be blanketed. Watch for a user-controlled linebacker sitting in the middle of the field or spying the drive route depth, this is the biggest threat to this concept and usually signals a Tampa 2 or robber coverage look. If the defense shows a nano blitz with defenders crashing off the edge pre-snap, get the ball out quickly on the drive route or check down before the protection breaks down. Cover 2 shells with corners playing soft outside leverage will squeeze the deep route, so lean on the underneath drive route and any flex hot route adjustment to move the chains.
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two deep safeties sitting at 10-12 yards with corners playing outside leverage, that is your Cover 4 shell and this play is designed to punish it. Hot route the flex slot receiver into a quick option or spot route if the defense shows blitz to give your QB a fast outlet against pressure. Use this play on second and medium or third and short to medium, since the drive route underneath converts quickly and the deep shot is there if the coverage bites on run action or play action tendencies. Pair this play with Patriots Drag or Patriots Spot in the same set to keep the defense guessing between deep in-breaking routes and quick underneath combos, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their zone drops. If the defense starts jumping the drive route with a user linebacker, switch to Mtn Slot Post or Mtn PA Y Middle Read from this set to hit the same area of the field with a different timing.