Playbooks

Z Spot

Shotgun·Doubles Y Off·11
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

Sim Focusedtargeting Ba OffenseOffenseSim Focusedtargeting Ph OffenseOffenseSim Focusedtargeting Rn OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Z Spot out of Shotgun Doubles Y Off is a classic Spot concept built around a three level read to the strong side, combining a corner route, a spot/hitch, and an underneath flat or drag to attack zone coverage. This is a zone beater at its core, designed to stress hook and curl defenders by stacking routes at three different depths in the same window. The primary read progression starts with the corner route to see if it clears out the flat defender, then works down to the spot sitting at the sticks, and finally checks down to the underneath flat route if the zone is sitting deep or if pressure forces a quick release.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the cornerback over the trips or doubles side is playing off man or bailing into a zone drop, since tight press man can disrupt the timing of the corner route. Watch the flat defender or force player after the snap, if he sinks with the corner route the spot route underneath will be wide open in the vacated curl zone. Key the middle linebacker or nickel defender's depth at the snap, shallow drops signal zone coverage that this concept is designed to exploit, while fast downhill movement signals a blitz you need to account for with your check down. This concept struggles against a hard Cover 2 with two deep safeties squeezing the corner route and a linebacker sitting directly in the spot route's landing zone, so be ready to reset the play if you see that shell. Watch for a user controlled defender spying the middle of the field or sitting in the shallow flat, since that lurk threat can jump the spot route or the underneath flat if the quarterback stares it down too long.

Usage Tips

Use this on third and medium to third and long when you expect Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells since the spot route settles right in the curl to flat void those zones create.

Check safety depth pre-snap, if you see two high safeties rotate to one high after the snap, work the corner route immediately before the flat defender can widen and take it away.

Hot route the underneath flat runner into a shallow drag against man coverage to give your quarterback a quick, high percentage answer versus Cover 1 or Cover 2 man.

Pair this play with Mtn Stick or Stick Knife in your play calling sequence, since both attack similar zone landmarks but from different formations, keeping the defense guessing on personnel and leverage.

Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out on the spot route quickly since the sit route naturally beats late arriving linebackers dropping into shallow zones.

Other Plays in Doubles Y Off