Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Hitch HB Rail out of Shotgun Flex Y Off Close puts two hitch routes on the left side from the outside receiver and the inline TE, while the backside X runs a quick hitch as well, giving the quarterback a three-level hitch look on the perimeter. The HB releases out of the backfield and turns his rail route vertical up the right sideline, working from the flat area straight up field into a deep vertical stem. This is a man beater at its core since the HB rail exploits linebackers or slower coverage defenders who cannot stay on top of a backfield release turning upfield, while the hitches underneath give a built in answer against soft zone drops. Primary progression starts with the HB rail as the big play shot, then works back down to the hitches as safety valves against pressure or when the defender sitting on the rail route jumps the route early.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender or linebacker aligned near the HB pre-snap, if he sits at a shallow depth he is vulnerable to the rail route stemming past him vertically. Man coverage on the HB with no safety help over the top is the biggest liability, since the rail can turn into a house call against Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitzes. Zone shells with a deep half safety rotated to the play side can squeeze the rail route and force the quarterback to check down to the hitches. Post snap, key the underneath zone defenders drop depth, if they sink too deep the two hitch routes will settle into open throwing lanes. Disguised blitzes that bring extra rushers off the edge can beat this play if the offensive line cannot pick up the numbers, since the quarterback has to get through his reads quickly before the pocket collapses.
Usage Tips
Check the pre-snap alignment on the defender over the HB, if it is a linebacker or slot corner playing shallow depth the rail route has a strong chance to win vertically.
Look for two high safety shells before the snap, against Cover 2 or Cover 4 the hitches will be open quickly underneath the deep zone drops.
Use the hitch routes as a hot route answer versus blitz looks, since the quick game underneath gets the ball out before pressure arrives.
This play pairs well with Curl Ohio or Flood from the same set, since both create similar initial reads but attack different levels, keeping defenders guessing on route combinations.
Best called on second and medium or third and short to medium, since the hitches give a safe completion while the rail route remains a spot up the field explosive shot.
