Playbooks
Breakdown
Z Spot N Go is run from Empty Bunch Open in Shotgun, isolating a three man bunch to one side while the backside X runs a vertical go route on an island. Out of the bunch, the point man runs a spot route that sits underneath, the middle bunch receiver clears vertically before breaking to the flat, and the third bunch receiver pushes vertical off the stack before working to the sideline. This is a Cover 3 beater built to attack the flat and hook defender with the spot concept while the backside go route stresses a single high safety, and with no back in protection it is a five man empty protection with the QB reading spot to go on a quick full field progression.
Defensive Reads
Identify the single high safety pre-snap, if he is shaded toward the bunch the backside go route is your immediate answer since it is one on one with no deep help. Watch the flat defender and hook defender at the snap, if they widen with the spot route the middle bunch receiver's flat break becomes wide open. Beware Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 shells where the corner over the go route stays on top and squeezes the sideline, this cuts off the vertical shot and forces you into the spot underneath. Man coverage with a linebacker matched on the bunch is a green light to test the spot to go progression quickly before a blitz gets home since protection is only five man empty. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow flat or hook zone since that lurk can jump the spot route, if you see him crash down early reset to the backside go route instead.
Usage Tips
Check the middle of the field pre-snap, if you see a single high safety rotate to the backside go route since Cover 3 defenders often bail late and open a throwing lane down the sideline.
Use the spot route as your hot read against zone blitzes since it sits down quickly in the void between the flat and hook defenders.
Hot route the deep bunch receiver into a corner route against teams that squat their cornerbacks in zone to give yourself a second vertical answer.
Pair this play with Slot Choice Spot or Slot Choice Spacing in your play calling sequence so the defense sees a similar bunch look but has to respect both spot concepts and choice routes.
Best called on second and medium to long or third and short when you want a quick underneath answer with a home run shot attached on the backside.
