Playbooks
X Dagger is a man beater built around the classic dagger concept, pairing a deep dig from the X receiver with a clear-out vertical from the slot to open up the middle of the field. The backside typically runs a corner or post shot to hold the single high safety, while the underneath crosser gives you a check down against pressure. This is a play-action free route combo, not an RPO, so the primary read progression starts with the dig sitting down at 12 to 15 yards, then works to the backside shot play if the safety bites, and finally checks down to the shallow crosser or flare against a hard blitz.
Pre snap, identify whether the safeties are showing two high or rotating to one high since this play is designed to exploit single high shells like Cover 1 and Cover 3. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks deep into the throwing lane for the dig route you need to hold the ball and let the route develop or check down. Key the corner over the vertical clear out route, if he stays on top and drives on the dig instead of respecting the deep route, you have a sitting duck throw underneath him. Beware of Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties, since that takes away the dig window and forces you into the shorter check down options. On third and long, watch for user blitz off the edge, if the offensive line cannot pick it up you need to get the ball out fast on the crosser or flare instead of waiting on the dig to develop.
Look for single high safety shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3 before the snap since the dig route sits right in the void behind the linebackers and in front of the deep safety.
Hot route the underneath crosser into a flat route if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, giving you an easy pitch and catch against blitz-heavy defenses.
Use this play on second and long or third and medium situations where the defense is more likely to sit in zone coverage and give the dig route room to work.
Pair this call with Slants or Double Slants earlier in a series to condition the defense to jump underneath routes, then hit X Dagger to attack the void those slants create.
If the user drops a linebacker to jam the dig, immediately reset your eyes to the backside vertical shot route since that usually means the middle of the field is open behind it.