Playbooks
Breakdown
617 out of Shotgun Doubles is a quick pass concept built to attack man and zone coverage with a five man route distribution and a full slide protection. The backside runs a slant flat combo where the outside receiver bends a slant across the middle while the slot underneath runs a flat route into the vacated space. To the play side the outside receiver runs a go route up the sideline to hold the corner and safety, the inline TE runs a drag underneath crossing the field, and the running back releases out of the backfield on a flat route that curls up toward the sideline. The primary read starts with the slant flat combo for a quick answer against blitz or man coverage, then progresses to the drag as the second read, with the go route as the home run shot if the corner bites or the safety cheats down.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender pre snap, if he is aligned wide and shallow he can jump the flat route and take away the first easy read, forcing a look to the drag. Key the corner over the go route, press man with no safety help invites a big play if the QB pulls the trigger early, so user that corner or play a safety over the top. Spy or user the middle linebacker since the drag route crosses right through his zone, a linebacker with good zone drop discipline can undercut that route and bait a turnover. Zone coverages like Cover 3 or Cover 4 with underneath defenders sitting in passing lanes can clog both the flat and drag reads, forcing the QB to hold the ball and look deep to the go route. Blitz packages that bring pressure off the edge can be neutralized by the slide protection, but a delayed interior blitz or spy can still disrupt the QB before the slant flat combo develops.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short since the slant flat combo gets the ball out fast and beats blitz looks before pressure arrives.
Read the corner over the go route pre snap, if he is playing tight man with no safety help over the top hot route the flat or slant since the deep shot will be covered.
Against zone shells with linebackers sitting underneath, work the drag route since it settles behind the box and in front of deep zone defenders for an easy pitch and catch.
Pair this play with 45 Quick Base or Curl Flats in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect both the quick slant flat game and a deeper curl breakdown, keeping linebackers honest.
If you see a user controlled defender flying down to jump the flat route, throw the drag or slant behind him since that defender has abandoned his zone or man assignment.
