Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
DBL Ins is a horizontal stretch passing concept out of Shotgun Split Slot Open with 20 personnel on the field. The outermost receiver runs a deep in route breaking hard across the middle, the inside slot runs a shorter in route sitting underneath the deep dig, the backside receiver on the play side attacks vertically before working a corner style route to the boundary, and the tight end releases into a flat/corner route off the opposite edge, while the running back checks release before working a shallow crosser underneath. The dual in cuts stacked at different depths create a natural man beater against man coverage by picking off trailing defenders, and it also stresses zone linebackers who have to sink and cover multiple crossing routes at once. The primary read progression starts with the shallow in route underneath, works up to the deep in route if the shallow is taken away, then bails to the flat/corner combo on the backside if the middle is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and leverage since single high shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1 are more vulnerable to the deep in route sitting in the void behind linebackers. Watch cornerback alignment on the outside receivers, tight press man alignment signals a blitz or man coverage that the shallow in route can exploit with a quick separation release. Post-snap, key the underneath linebackers for a lurk threat sitting in the passing lanes of the in routes, especially in Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells where zone defenders sink to the middle read. Watch for blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge since the quick developing in routes give the quarterback a fast answer against pressure if the protection holds. If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, expect more zone coverage underneath, which favors sitting the deep in route behind the linebacker level before the safety can rotate over.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into showing man or zone before the snap so you know which in route will be open first.
Against man coverage, hot route the shallow in to a quick out or drag if the defender is playing tight trail technique to avoid a collision at the route break.
Against zone coverage, work the deep in route over the middle since it sits behind underneath linebackers and in front of deep safeties in most Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells.
This play pairs well with Backs Cross and Mesh from the same set since both use crossing action that punishes defenders who jump the in routes on film study.
Call this on second and medium or third and long situations where you need a route concept that beats both man and zone without relying on a deep shot.
