Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slot Sail out of Empty Chips Nasty is a classic sail concept run from a five wide receiver empty formation with no running back protection needed since everyone is out in a route. On the play side you get three levels stacked: the outside receiver clears out vertically on a deep corner route, the slot runs a sail route breaking flat toward the sideline off a quick vertical stem, and the inside receiver runs an out and up to the flat area underneath, while the backside receiver runs a deep comeback to the boundary for a hi-lo read away from the concept. This is a zone beater built for Cover 2 and Cover 3, with the primary read progression going high to low starting with the deep corner route to see if it clears the cornerback and safety, then working down to the sail route in the flat, and finally the underneath flat route as the checkdown against soft zone drops.
Defensive Reads
This play beats Cover 2 by stretching the flat defender vertically with the corner route while the sail route occupies the underneath zone, creating a natural conflict for the cornerback and safety. This play beats Cover 3 by isolating the cornerback in the flat against the sail route since he has to choose between the deep third and the underneath flat threat. Watch for a deep half safety rotating late presnap since that usually signals Cover 2 and tells you to prioritize the corner route over the sail route. Man coverage with press alignment on the backside comeback receiver is a red flag, since the concept was built for zone drops and a hot route adjustment is needed to prevent a contested throw. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can be an issue since empty formations have no running back to chip, so identify presnap if the defense is showing a nano blitz look and be ready to get the ball out fast on the sail or underneath route. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If linebackers sink into passing lanes quickly, the underneath flat route may be taken away, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer for the sail or corner route to develop.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and long or third and medium when you expect the defense to sit in Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells since the sail concept is designed to stress the flat defender and deep half safety simultaneously.
Presnap, identify the safety alignment. Two deep safeties tips Cover 2 and you should prioritize the corner route since the flat defender cannot cover both the sail and the underneath route. One deep safety tips Cover 3 and you should work the sail route against the overmatched cornerback in the flat.
If the cornerback shows aggressive man press alignment, hot route the backside comeback receiver into a quick slant or option route to punish man coverage before the corner route develops.
Pair this call with QB Zone or Double Swirl earlier in a series to get the defense conditioned to run fits or quick game reads, then hit Slot Sail off a similar presnap look to catch linebackers cheating up.
Combine with Dagger or Dagger Deep Curl in your play calling script since both attack zone drops but stress different levels, making it harder for defenders to sit on one route concept.
Watch the flat defender post snap. If he sinks with the sail route, throw underneath quickly before the window closes, and if he jumps the underneath route, immediately go up top to the corner route for an explosive gain.
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
Double SwirlPass Play, Quick Pass, Out +4
Out X DigOut, Dig, Pass Play
Post CrossPost, Pass Play, Crosser- QB Zone
X CrossCrosser, Pass Play- X Whip In