Playbooks

Duo Slot Open

Shotgun·20

At a Glance

FormationShotgun

Personnel

202 RB · 0 TE · 3 WR

Plays19

In 4 playbooks

Redskins OffenseOffense Shotgun OffenseOffense Spread Classic NFL Live Redskins OffenseOffense

Overview

Duo Slot Open is a 20 personnel Shotgun set that puts two backs in the game while still spreading the field with three eligible receivers outside the tackles. The alignment pairs a halfback next to the quarterback with a second back (usually a fullback or second HB body type) offset or flexed, and it opens the slot on one side so that receiver has a clean release with no stack or bunch traffic. That open slot is the whole point of the set name: the flexed receiver gets a two way go against whoever walks out over him, and in 20 personnel that defender is often a linebacker or a box safety rather than a true nickel corner.

Strengths

Play action rollout menu (PA Rollout Smash, PA Rollout Out-N-Up, PA Flood, Sprintout Flood) puts the QB on the perimeter and cuts the field in half, which is the fastest way to beat a user defender who is stuck reading the backside.
The open slot creates a clean isolation read: motion the outside receiver across and you get an immediate man or zone declaration, then attack the slot with a hot routed slant, corner, or option route.
RPO Alert package (Spot Wheel, Bubble, Hitches, Read HB Flat) lets you keep Inside Zone and Duo Slot Open live while punishing light boxes and single high shells with a free pull read.
Levels and PA Slot Post are high level Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone beaters out of the same personnel that shows heavy run, so the safety rotation you baited on early downs pays off in the second half.
Speed Option and Triple Option Rt give you a legitimate QB run threat from a two back look, which forces the defense to keep a spy or an extra hat in the box and opens the intermediate windows.

Weaknesses

Two back personnel means only three receiving threats split wide, so vertical spacing is limited and Cover 2 or quarters teams can bracket your best outside target without giving anything up elsewhere.
The rollout heavy play art is slow developing against interior pressure and nano blitz looks, and a free rusher up the A gap ends the play before the QB clears the tackle box.
Man coverage with a user in the flat crushes the swing and flat concepts (HB Swing, Spot Lead Swing, RPO Read HB Flat) because the back cannot separate from a manned up linebacker in space.
Opponents who recognize the 20 personnel tendency will match with base or big nickel, and the open slot loses its matchup edge once a real coverage defender aligns there.
Predictable run/pass tells are easy to exploit: overusing Inside Zone and Duo Slot Open on first down lets defenses sit on the RPO reads and jump the quick game.

Usage Tips

Motion the open slot receiver across the formation pre snap. If a linebacker travels, check to a man beater (slant/wheel or PA Rollout Out-N-Up). If the defense stays static, run Levels or PA Comebacks into the zone.

Use Inside Zone and Duo Slot Open as your down and distance base on first and second down to force safety rotation down, then hit PA Slot Post and PA Flood off that exact same backfield look.

On third and short, Speed Option and Triple Option Rt punish teams that bring the nickel blitz, and a QB with decent speed turns the edge before the contain defender recovers.

Block the second back or hot route him to a flat release when you see interior pressure indicators, especially on any of the rollout calls, since those plays cannot survive a free A gap rusher.

Against single high with a low safety, the RPO Alert Spot Wheel and RPO Alert Bubble reads are your free yards. Take the throw when the box count is light and stay on schedule.