Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Texans Dig out of Shotgun Doubles sends the backside X on a corner route from the outside while the backside slot runs a deep dig that settles across the middle of the field. On the play side, the TE runs a short dig/in breaker while the outside WR climbs vertically up the sideline, and the backside WR clears the boundary with the corner route. This is a man beater at its core, using the dig to sit down in throwing lanes vacated by man defenders and the vertical route to stretch the field, with the primary read progression starting on the deep dig, then working to the shorter TE crossing route, and finally to the vertical shot if the safety bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Watch the backside safety at the snap, if he stays on top of the dig route the throwing window closes quickly and you should check down to the TE. Key the flow of the linebackers, if they widen with the TE crossing route it opens a natural throwing lane for the deep dig behind them. Look for user controlled defenders trigger lurking in the middle of the field, this play is vulnerable to a spy or rat sitting in the throwing lane of the dig route. Cover 3 with aggressive underneath zone drops can be beaten by the timing of the dig sitting down past the linebacker level before the safety can rotate over. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play is most explosive, since the corner route and vertical release create natural rub opportunities against tight man defenders.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a single high safety or two high shell, since the dig route works best against man coverage and Cover 3 where linebackers cannot sink deep enough to wall it off.
If you see Cover 2 or Cover 4 with deep safety help, hot route the deep dig to break earlier or check to the shorter TE crossing route as your first read instead.
Use motion or a quick shift to bump a defender off the outside WR running the corner route, this reveals man versus zone before the snap.
Pair this play with Flanker Dig or Y Cross earlier in a series so the defense starts keying underneath crossers, then hit this deeper dig concept once linebackers start jumping shallow routes.
Best on second and long or third and medium situations where the defense expects a shorter zone beater, allowing the dig to work against a defense not respecting depth.
