Playbooks
Escape
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Escape is a play-action flood concept out of Shotgun Normal Y Off Close with 11 personnel. Off the run fake, the play sends a corner route from the outside receiver to clear the deep boundary, a flat route underneath it, and an out route from the inline TE to attack the intermediate level, while the backside runs a go and a seam to hold safeties over the top. This is a Cover 3 and Cover 2 beater built to flood one side of the field with three levels, and the primary read progression is corner to flat working high to low, checking the seam only if the flood side is capped.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the safety on the flood side is deep or rotating down, since two high shells force you to throw the out or flat instead of testing the corner. Key the flat defender immediately after the snap, if he sits at the sticks the corner route window shrinks and you must rip it to the corner before the safety closes. Watch linebacker depth on play action, if they bite hard on the run fake the seam and out routes will open up quickly against man coverage. Against Cover 2, the corner route is your primary answer since it splits the cornerback and safety, but if the cornerback stays deep switch to the flat and out combo. Beware of user blitzers off the edge on the play action side, since the protection is built for a standard rush and a delayed blitz can beat the play before routes develop.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a quick shell check to confirm if the defense is showing single high before the snap, since this play is designed to punish Cover 3 rotation.
If the corner is jumping the out route, hot route the flat to a flat or drag conversion to give yourself a faster underneath answer against aggressive user linebackers.
Pair this with Y-Sail or Mtn Snag Curls in your play calling script so defenses cannot key on the flood concept every time you go under center or shotgun with play action.
Best called on second and medium to second and long where play action freezes linebackers and the flood concept can fully develop against soft zone drops.
Watch for user controlled safeties sitting on the corner route, if that happens work the flat and out combo underneath before the corner window closes.
