Playbooks
Redzone Up
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Redzone Up aligns out of Empty HB Wide with five receivers stretching the field horizontally and vertically. The backside two receivers run a smash concept (corner and go from the outside stack), the middle slot runs a deep dig that breaks back across the field into the vacated middle, and the two receivers on the strong side run a slant flat combo with the outermost man sitting flat while the inside receiver cuts underneath on the slant. This is a man beater and Cover 3 beater built to attack any single-high shell, with the primary read progression starting on the slant flat quick game to the strong side before working back to the deep crossing dig if the flat defender sits or the corner blitzes.
Defensive Reads
Watch the deep safety alignment presnap, a single high safety cheating to the strong side tips Cover 3 or man and opens up the backside corner and go for a big play. Key the flat defender on the strong side, if he sinks with the slant receiver the flat route is wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Track the middle linebacker or nickel defender responsible for the deep dig, if he bites on the underneath crossers the dig will sit in a soft spot versus zone. Corner blitzes off the edge get exposed by the quick slant flat since the ball comes out before the rusher arrives. Versus man coverage look for a lurking safety over the deep dig route, a rover defender sitting in the middle of the field can jump the crosser and turn it into a turnover.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the defense is showing single-high or two-high, this concept is built to punish Cover 3 and man coverage so check the play if you see two deep safeties sitting still. Use the slant flat as your immediate answer versus a blitz since it gets the ball out fast to the flat man before pressure arrives. Work the deep dig as your window versus zone drops, it settles into the vacated middle of the field once the underneath defenders flow to their zones. Pair this with Quick Slants or Stick from the same set to keep defenders honest on quick throws before hitting them with the corner and go combo for an explosive shot play. Best used in true redzone or short to medium yardage situations where the corner route and slant flat give you easy access to the sideline and pylon.
