Playbooks
Breakdown
Jet Touch Pass is a quick perimeter throw out of Shotgun Empty Base 11 personnel that motions a receiver in jet action across the formation before the snap. The lone route on the diagram shows the motion man catching a touch pass just outside the tackle box and turning upfield behind a wall of blockers releasing to the second level, essentially playing like a run in pass clothing. This is a screen or quick-game concept designed to attack aggressive edge defenders and get numbers to the perimeter, with the primary read being the touch pass to the jet motion receiver as soon as he clears the box.
Defensive Reads
Key the flow of linebackers and slot defenders as soon as jet motion starts, if they widen and run with the motion man the play may still hit but the alley will be tighter. Watch the play side defensive end and outside linebacker, aggressive upfield rushers or crashing edge defenders are exactly what this play is built to exploit. Identify if the defense is in man coverage with a defender chasing the motion across the formation, since that leaves a lane once he catches the touch pass behind the blocking wall. To shut this down, spam the flow defender to string the play out, or user a linebacker to sit at the numbers and force the ball carrier back inside into traffic. Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells with disciplined force defenders holding the edge take away the boundary and make the QB hold the touch pass longer than the timing allows.
Usage Tips
Snap the ball as the jet motion crosses the formation so the touch pass timing lines up with blockers reaching their landmarks. Use this against defenses that show hard edge pressure or crashing DEs since the ball gets out before the rush arrives. Pair this with QB Draw and WR Screen from the same set to keep defenders honest on flow to either side. Call it on early downs or short yardage to stay ahead of the chains without exposing your QB to a full drop back read. Watch for defenders sprinting with the motion pre-snap, if the flow defender or slot corner chases hard, this play still has room because blockers are already climbing to the second level.
