Playbooks

Y Sail

Shotgun·Flanker Close·10
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Y Sail out of Shotgun Flanker Close (10 personnel) is a classic sail concept that stretches the defense vertically on one side of the field. The Y (tight end or slot) runs a corner route to the deep third, the flanker or slot beneath him runs a sail/out route to the intermediate flat, and a checkrelease or flat route underneath completes the three-level stretch. This is a zone beater at its core, designed to attack Cover 3 and Cover 2 by putting a high-low-flat conflict on the flat defender and deep corner defender, though it also holds up against man coverage if you work the corner route against a linebacker or safety mismatch. The primary read progression starts with the corner route on the deep out-breaking level, works down to the sail route in the intermediate zone, and finishes with the underneath checkdown against a soft zone drop or blitz.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender post-snap, if he widens with the sail route the corner route behind him should be open in the deep third or deep half. Key the deep third or deep half safety, if he cheats toward the sail route early you have a clean throwing lane to the corner route on a hitch or double move counter. Against Cover 3, look for the cornerback bailing at the snap, this usually signals a hard deep third responsibility and opens the void underneath for the checkrelease route. Against man coverage, identify if a linebacker or safety is matched on the Y running the corner route, this is a favorable matchup you should exploit immediately on the first read. Beware of a sim pressure or nano blitz look with only three defenders dropping, since a fast underneath blitzer can disrupt your timing before the corner route fully develops, so have your checkdown route ready as a built-in hot read.

Usage Tips

Identify the coverage shell pre-snap by checking the safety alignment, two deep safeties usually means Cover 2 or Cover 4 and you should hi-lo the flat defender with the sail and corner combo, one deep safety means Cover 3 and you want to attack the seam between the deep third defender and the flat defender with the corner route timing. Use motion or a quick pre-snap check to identify if the cornerback is playing off man or bail technique, since the corner route can win instantly against a defender who is not sinking with depth. Hot route the underneath checkrelease into a flat route if you see a linebacker sitting in a shallow zone drop, this gives you a faster outlet against man pressure. This play pairs well with Y Cross and Stick in the same set since both give you quick, high percentage answers if the defense sits on the sail concept after seeing it once. Save Y Sail for third and medium to third and long situations where you need a defined high-low read and enough time in the pocket to let the corner route develop.

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