Playbooks
Lions Under
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Lions Under out of Shotgun Split Slot Offset shows a five man route concept built to attack every level of the field with a flood to the right and a drag underneath to the left. The outside receiver runs a go route up the boundary while the tight end works a corner route underneath it, creating a high low stretch on the right side, while the slot receiver on that side releases into a seam that sits between the linebackers and safety. On the left side the backside receiver runs a short out and the running back releases into a curl flat area after showing play action, giving the quarterback a quick outlet if the flood is covered. This is a play action pass built as a Cover 3 and Cover 2 beater, with the primary read starting on the corner and go combo to the right before working back to the seam and finally the curl flat check down.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap, that tips Cover 1 or Cover 3 and tells you the flood concept on the right side will have single coverage to exploit. If both safeties show deep pre-snap, expect Cover 2 or Cover 4, and your seam route becomes the key throw since it splits the safeties before they can rotate over the top. Key the flat defender or cornerback on the corner route side after the snap. If he sinks with the go route, the corner route is open underneath, if he sits, throw the go route on time before the safety can rotate over. Watch for a linebacker blitzing off the edge or a nano blitz look pre-snap, since the curl flat route from the running back becomes your hot route answer against overload pressure. If you see man coverage indicators like a cornerback bumping the receiver or linebackers turning their hips at the snap, prioritize the corner route and seam since both create natural separation against man defenders.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs when you have already established the run game so the play action freeze actually holds linebackers for a beat.
Pre-snap, identify if the corner over the go route is playing off or press. Off coverage means the corner sitting underneath is there for the taking, press means you should be looking to the go route immediately.
If you see two deep safeties, work the seam and curl flat side since Cover 2 leaves an honest hole underneath the deep safeties for the seam route to sit in.
Against Cover 3, the corner route and go route flood combo on the right is your bread and butter since the flat defender cannot cover both levels.
Pair this call with Mtn PA Y Cross or Mtn PA Stutter Go from the same set so the defense has to respect play action rollouts and deep shots every time you break the huddle, keeping linebackers honest and opening up the underneath drag and curl flat later in the drive.
