Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Bronco Seams is a five-man route concept out of Shotgun Empty HB Wide that floods the field with vertical stress and a shallow crosser. From the trips side, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical, the next receiver breaks into a seam route up the hash, and the inside slot bursts vertically then bends into a corner route toward the sideline. On the backside, the isolated receiver runs a shallow drive route across the formation while the tight end releases outside then works vertically up the numbers. This is a man beater that also stresses zone defenders with the seam and corner combo occupying deep hole defenders, and the primary read progresses from the backside seam or corner breaking open first, then down to the shallow drive crosser as a checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks with the seam route it opens a throwing window underneath for the shallow crosser. Watch the free safety alignment pre-snap, a single high shell invites the seam and corner combo to attack the deep half before help can rotate over. Post-snap, track the flat defender on the trips side, if he widens too fast with the corner route the seam sits down in a natural void against zone coverage. Against man coverage, look for a user controlled defender trailing the shallow drive route, since that route is the primary man beater and draws the most attention from lurking defenders. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties tend to shut down the seam shot, so shift the read down to the shallow drive or backside tight end vertical as the checkdown against that shell.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when you need a explosive gain against single high safety looks.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 3 or Cover 1, since the seam and corner combo on the trips side creates natural high low stress on the flat defender and deep third defender.
If the defense shows two high safeties, prioritize the shallow drive route since it becomes a quick access throw against off man or soft zone leverage.
Pair this call with Bronco DBL Dig earlier in a series so the defense respects the seam shot, then hit the dig cut underneath once linebackers start sitting deeper.
Motion the backside receiver before the snap to confirm man coverage, if the defender follows across the formation you have a clean man beater with the shallow drive.
