Playbooks
RNS 60 Z Read
Quick Reference
Breakdown
RNS 60 Z Read is a quick-hitting man beater out of Shotgun Spread Slots Close with a 10 personnel grouping. To the left, the two outside receivers run a crossing slant and go combo that stacks the underneath defenders and creates natural rub separation against man coverage, while the slot receiver on the right runs the Z Read, an option route that reads the flat defender and breaks in or out depending on leverage. The near-side receiver on the right runs a shallow out to clear the flat, giving the Z Read room to settle or run off. The primary read starts with the Z Read option route since it dictates based on the underneath defender, then progresses to the slant on the left if the option route is covered.
Defensive Reads
On defense, if you see the offense in Spread Slots Close with a receiver aligned to run an option route, play man coverage tight to the slot to take away the easy read on the Z Read. Watch for the crossing slant and go combo on the left since it is designed to beat man coverage with natural picks, so zone coverage with underneath defenders sitting on crossing routes can disrupt the timing. User the flat defender on the right side and squat him at a depth that jumps the option route before it breaks, taking away the primary read and forcing the quarterback to work the crossing routes. Disguise your coverage shell presnap by showing a two high safety look then rotating to man or a single high shell after the snap to confuse the option route read. Bring a blitz off the slot corner on the right side since the Z Read receiver often has no immediate blocking help, forcing a quick and inaccurate throw before the option route develops.
Usage Tips
Presnap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking if defenders are aligned tight and inside on the slot receivers, which signals man coverage that this play is designed to beat.
Key the flat defender on the right side before the snap since his depth and leverage determine whether the Z Read option route should break in or out, and use the right stick to manually work that route if the AI does not sell the read correctly.
Use this play on early downs or third and short since the crossing slant and go combo on the left creates natural rub separation against man coverage and gives you a quick answer if the option route is taken away.
Pair this play with RNS 590 Z Replace or RNS Y Stick from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick option concepts and deeper zone-beating routes.
Against aggressive man coverage defenses, hot route the go route on the left into a deep post if you need an explosive play instead of settling for the option route underneath.
