Playbooks
Double Swirl
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Double Swirl aligns out of Empty Chips Nasty in Shotgun with five receivers spread across the field and no running back in the backfield. Both outside receivers run flat routes toward the sideline while the two inside slot receivers run corner routes up and away from the middle, and the middle receiver runs a slant into the flat vacated by the outside man, creating a two-level swirl concept on each side of the field. This is a man beater and Cover 3 beater built to isolate defenders with route combos that stack a flat route underneath a corner route, and the primary read progression starts with the corner route working outside leverage before working down to the flat and slant underneath.
Defensive Reads
Presnap check corner depth and safety alignment, since two deep safeties suggest Cover 2 or Cover 4 which can undercut the corner routes if the corner sits on top. Watch the flat defenders at the snap, since in Cover 3 the corner or outside linebacker responsible for the flat has to choose between the swirl corner route and the underneath flat route, and that conflict is the key to the whole concept. If the defense shows Cover 1 or Cover 0 with a single deep safety, expect the corner routes to be the first throw since man defenders will be draped over the flat and slant routes. Look for a lurking underneath defender sitting in the throwing lane to the slant, since a user controlled linebacker sinking into that void can jump the shorter route and bait a quick throw. A hard blitz look with linebackers stacked near the line signals man pressure behind it, which means the corner routes will win quickly against man leverage before the pressure arrives.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking if defenders are lined up across from receivers or sitting in zone drops near the numbers and the hash.
Against man coverage key the corner routes first since the swirl action creates natural rub leverage that separates receivers from trailing corners.
Against Cover 3 or zone shells work the flat and slant combo underneath since the flat defender has to choose between the corner route stretching vertical and the flat route sitting short.
Use this play on early downs or second and short to keep the defense honest, then follow it up with X Whip In or Slot Sail from the same set to attack the same coverage look with a different stress point.
Hot route the backside corner route into a deep out if you see a hard roll to one side presnap, since that keeps the concept balanced against rotated safety shells.
Other Plays in Empty Chips Nasty
DaggerDagger, Pass Play, Cover 2 Beater +1
Dagger Deep CurlCurl, Dagger, Pass Play +2
Deep Post OutOut, Post, Pass Play
Dig StickDig, Stick, Stick Concept +1
Double 7 StopPass Play, Hitch, Out +4
Out X DigOut, Dig, Pass Play
Post CrossPost, Pass Play, Crosser- QB Zone
Slot SailSail, Pass Play, Cover 2 Beater +1
X CrossCrosser, Pass Play- X Whip In