Playbooks
Patriots Spot is a Cover 3 beater built out of the Shotgun Doubles Flex WK Pats set that attacks the flat, curl, and corner zones with a five level spot concept. The design pairs a flat route with an underneath curl/settle route and a corner route stretching the deep third, forcing the flat defender and the corner defender to choose who to cover. Primary read progression starts with the flat route to see if the underneath defender bites, then works to the settle/curl sitting in the void behind the flat, and finally to the corner route breaking behind the cornerback if the deep third rotates late.
Identify single high safety alignment before the snap, this signals Cover 3 and tells you the spot concept has a clear window to attack underneath. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sinks or widens too quickly the curl/settle route sits wide open in the vacated zone. Key the cornerback's depth on the boundary, aggressive corners jumping the flat leave the corner route uncovered behind them for an explosive gain. Beware Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells with two deep safeties, the extra deep defender can rob the corner route and limit this concept to underneath completions only. User controlled defenders sitting in the shallow flat zone as a lurk threat can jump the first route in the progression, so be ready to reset to the curl/settle read instead of forcing the initial throw.
Use pre-snap motion or a shift to confirm whether the defense is playing zone or man before the snap, since this concept punishes zone drops that leave the spot window open.
Look for Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with a single high safety, this play is designed to exploit the seam between the flat defender and the deep third corner.
If you diagnose man coverage instead, hot route the corner route into a quick out or speed out to give yourself a faster, more reliable throw against man beaters.
Pair Patriots Spot with Patriots Drag or Patriots Drive in your play-calling sequence so the defense cannot key on the same flat and curl combination every snap.
This play shines on second and medium to third and short since the flat and curl routes give the quarterback a quick, high percentage completion to move the chains.