Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
ATL Spot out of Shotgun Doubles Flex is a classic Cover 3 beater built around the Spot concept on the boundary. The outside receiver runs a corner route, the slot runs a quick hitch (or hook) sitting underneath, and the third receiver on that side runs a shallow drag/flat route that clears low, creating a high low stress read on the zone defender. On the backside, the flexed TE runs a deep vertical to hold the safety while the RB runs a check release flat route as a fifth option. The primary read progression is corner to flat to drag, working outside in to find the hole in Cover 3 or attack the void created by man coverage on the corner route.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender first since the drag and flat routes stretch him horizontally, if he stays wide the drag is open underneath. Watch the deep third defender on the boundary, if he sinks too fast on the corner route the hitch behind him becomes the easy completion. Identify the strong safety pre-snap, if he rotates down into the box expect single high shells that leave the corner route one on one deep. Look for a user controlled linebacker spying the RB out of the backfield, that tips zone coverage with a hole defender sitting in the shallow area. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender and no seam help against the flexed TE vertical is when this play is most vulnerable to being shut down, so check the TE release before committing to the read.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and medium to long when you expect zone drops from linebackers dropping to intermediate levels. Pre-snap, look for two high safeties rotating late or a single high safety cheating to the strong side, both are signs of Cover 3 or Cover 1 which this concept punishes. If the defense shows man coverage, hot route the drag into a slant or speed out to create quicker separation against man beaters. Pair this call with Four Verticals or PA Dagger earlier in a drive to condition the defense into sitting in shorter zones, then hit the corner route over the top once safeties creep up. Against aggressive user blitzers, check the RB flat route first since it releases quickly and beats delayed pressure.
