Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slants Middle out of Shotgun Doubles sends both outside receivers on quick slant routes crossing toward the middle of the field, with the boundary X running a deep slant that clears out space while the near slot runs a shorter crossing slant underneath. The lone inline receiver near the backfield runs a short flat/out route to hold the underneath defender, and the HB stays in to check block or leak out. This is a man beater designed to attack off-man leverage with natural rub picks created by the crossing slant routes, with the primary read starting on the shortest, quickest-developing slant before working to the deep crosser.
Defensive Reads
Identify press man corners pre-snap since the crossing slant action is built to rub them off and create separation immediately at the snap. Watch for a Mike linebacker sitting in a hook zone because he can undercut the shorter slant if he reads quarterback eyes quickly. Check safety depth before the snap, a single high safety cheating to one side signals Cover 1 or Cover 3 and favors the slant concept over the top. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle since he can jump the underdeveloped inside slant before it clears the formation. Cover 2 with hard-flowing corners can squeeze the crossing routes, so if corners jam and sink instead of playing off, expect the window to close fast and check down to the flat route.
Usage Tips
Fire this quickly against Cover 1 or Cover 3 man matchups because the crossing slants create natural picks that shake defenders on the rub.
Check the flat route first if you see a blitz look since it releases fastest and beats underneath pressure before it arrives.
Use pre-snap motion or a hot route to flare the HB into the boundary if the defense shows an overload blitz to that side.
Pair this with Double Slants or RPO Peek Slant in the same set so the defense cannot sit on the crossing concept without opening up a deep shot elsewhere.
Best called on early downs or third and short since the quick-hitting slants get the ball out fast and move the chains without needing a deep window.
