Playbooks

Mid Zone

Shotgun·Doubles Z Close Wk·11

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 2 playbooks

Seahawks OffenseOffenseNFL Live Seahawks OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Mid Zone out of Shotgun Doubles Z Close Wk is an inside zone run play built around the offensive line flowing laterally toward the play side while the running back reads the blocks from the mesh point. This is a run play, not a pass concept, so there are no man beater or zone beater route reads at the snap. The primary read progression for the ball carrier is backside to frontside: identify the first double team or combo block, press the hole, and cut off the play side linebacker's flow before bending it back if the alley closes.

Defensive Reads

Check the linebacker depth before the snap, stacked linebackers sitting tight to the line signal an aggressive run blitz that can beat Mid Zone to the mesh point. Watch for a single high safety rotating down into the box, which usually means man coverage on the outside and a heavier run fit that clogs your cutback lanes. If the defense shows two high safeties with the corners playing off, the middle of the field is more open and the zone run has room to bend back against light second level flow. Post snap, key the play side defensive end and linebacker, if they both crash hard down the line and squeeze the first gap, look to cut the run back against the grain. User controlled defenders spying the mesh point or sitting in the A gap are the biggest threat, if you see a user drop down pre-snap consider checking to RPO Zone Read Bubble or a quick game throw instead.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the box count to confirm you have enough blockers before snapping into Mid Zone, since this play struggles against heavy fronts with an extra defender in the box.

Pair this with RPO Read Bubble or RPO Zone Read Bubble from the same set so defenses have to respect the perimeter throw and cannot sell out on the interior run fits.

Against defenses that show two high safeties, run Mid Zone into the boundary where the numbers are lighter, then counter with Slants or Mesh HB Sneak on the next snap once the defense starts crashing down.

If the defense is in a bunched up nine man front, hot route the TE to a stalk block or check into Inside Zone or Mtn Inside Zone instead to attack a cleaner gap scheme.

Save this play for early down and manageable distance situations, ideally first or second down inside ten yards to go, so you keep play action shots like Mtn PA X Spot and PA Jailbreak Screen fully loaded off the same run action.

Other Plays in Doubles Z Close Wk