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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Charger Seams out of Shotgun Doubles Y-Flex is a vertical seam attack designed to punish zone coverage by stacking two seam runners up the middle while a flex tight end and outside receiver clear space underneath and behind. Both slot receivers push up the seams to occupy the middle linebacker and safeties, while the boundary route works as a man beater option if the corner bites on the shallow crosser. The primary read progression starts with the seam that has isolated a linebacker in coverage, then works to the opposite seam if the first is capped, and finally checks down to the flex TE against blitz or all out man pressure.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the middle linebacker is shaded to one side since that tells you which seam route will be open first. Watch for two high safeties rotating down into the box, which signals Cover 3 or Cover 1 robber looks that can jump the inside seams if you hold the ball too long. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's drop, if he sits and reads quarterback eyes he can undercut the seam and create a lurk turnover opportunity. This play struggles against Cover 4 or quarters shells where safeties stay high and can rob seam throws, so be ready to check down to the flex TE. Man coverage with a blitz on top is dangerous since your seam runners need time to climb the field, so recognize hot blitz alignments and dump it off quickly.
Usage Tips
Look for two high safety shells pre-snap since this play is built to split the safeties and put the seam runners in soft spots between the hashes.
If you see man coverage with no help over the top, hot route the flex TE into a quick option route to give yourself a safety valve against a nano blitz.
This play works best on second and long or third and medium when defenses are more likely to play zone shells like Cover 2 or Cover 3.
Pair Charger Seams with Charger Cross or Charger Y-Sail in the same set so the defense has to respect both vertical seam shots and quick crossing routes off similar formation looks.
Use play action variety from this personnel group like PA Deep Outs earlier in a series to slow down linebacker seam drops before coming back to Charger Seams later in the drive.
