Playbooks

Smash Corners

Shotgun·Spread Y-Flex·11

Corner Smash Pass Play Cover 2 Beater

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSpread Y-Flex

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

Superstar QB Improvisor Superstar QB Scrambler

Breakdown

Smash Corners is a classic Cover 2 beater built off the smash concept, pairing hitch or flat routes underneath with corner routes stacked over the top on both sides of the field. Out of Spread Y-Flex 11 personnel, the outside receivers sit down low to hold the corners while the corner routes attack the vacated space behind the cornerback and in front of the deep safety, exploiting the high low conflict inherent to two deep zone coverage. This is a pure dropback pass play with a horizontal stretch progression, read the flat defender first to see if he sinks or stays low, then work to the corner route on that same side, and use the backside corner as your second read if the first side is capped.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, check for two safeties split evenly at depth since that alignment signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, both of which Smash Corners is built to exploit through the flat to corner stretch. Watch the cornerback's depth at the snap, if he sinks with the corner route instead of squatting on the flat route, that is a Cover 2 Man look and you should target the corner route with a back shoulder throw. Post snap, track the flat defender (corner or nickel) first, if he stays low on the hitch or flat route the corner route behind him is open in the honey hole, if he bails immediately then take the easy completion underneath. Be wary of user controlled safeties who key the corner route from depth, a good lurk defender playing the deep half can undercut the throw if you telegraph it too early with your eyes. Against single high shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1, this play loses its main advantage since the deep third or man coverage removes the two deep conflict, so check down quickly or consider audibling to a different concept before the snap.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify whether the defense shows two high safeties before the snap since Smash Corners is designed specifically to punish Cover 2 and Cover 2 Man shells. If the safeties rotate to single high post snap, be ready to check down to the flat route or the backside corner instead of forcing the primary corner throw into a Cover 3 defender. Use hot routes to convert the underneath hitch into a flat route against man coverage to create more separation off the corner's outside hip. This play shines on second and medium to second and long when defenses are more willing to sit in zone shells, so avoid calling it into obvious run support fronts. Sequence this with Y Stick or Double Slants earlier in a series so defenders start jumping underneath throws, then come back to Smash Corners to hit the corner route once the flat defender starts cheating up in anticipation of the shorter concept.