Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Deep Post Out is a five-man empty route concept out of Shotgun Empty Chips Tight that stresses the deep middle and boundary simultaneously. Both outside receivers run hitches to the flat, the inside slot receiver on the right runs a corner-post combo that clears vertically then breaks back across the field, and the tight end to the right releases on a deep out that sits at the sideline behind the flat route. With no running back in the backfield, this is a pure passing concept designed to attack single-high safety looks by isolating the deep post against the middle of the field, making the deep post the primary read with the deep out as the secondary breakover option.
Defensive Reads
Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap since Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells force the post into a tighter throwing window and invite a lurking safety over the middle. If the middle linebacker or a user controlled defender sinks deep immediately after the snap, that is a sign of a robber or Tampa 2 concept designed to take away the post read. Cover 3 with a single deep defender in the middle is the most vulnerable shell to this concept since the post can split the safety before help arrives. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the post route separation, especially against slower linebackers matched on the tight end route. Blitz packages that bring extra pressure without deep safety help leave the post wide open, so quick recognition of the blitz pre-snap should speed up the throw to the post.
Usage Tips
Check for single-high safety shells pre-snap since the deep post thrives when there is only one deep defender to cover the middle of the field.
Use motion or a hot route on the flat routes to hold underneath defenders and open up passing lanes for the post and deep out.
Take advantage of this play on second or third and long when you need a explosive gain over the middle rather than a conservative underneath check down.
Progress from the deep post first, then work to the deep out on the sideline if the safety rotates over to take away the post.
Pair this play with Post Cross or SFT Outs Y-Post in the same set to keep defenses guessing between deep middle shots and quick out combinations.
