Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Quick Slants is a two-man mirrored slant concept out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot Wk, with both outside receivers running slants toward the middle of the field while the backside slot runs an underneath drag/flat route away from the play. The other slot runs a similar shallow crossing route to the opposite flat, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch underneath both slants. This is a quick-hitting man beater designed to exploit press man and off man leverage on the outside, with a lightning-fast progression from the near slant to the backside slant if the first read is covered.
Defensive Reads
Key the cornerback alignment before the snap, since outside leverage or press man is a green light for the offense and inside shade kills the slant window immediately. Watch the flat defenders and underneath zone droppers after the snap, since Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 with squatting corners will jump the slant and turn it into a pick six opportunity. User the middle linebacker or nickel defender to sit in the passing lane on the slant since that user rat can bait the quarterback into a bad throw. Blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge without dropping a spy can get gashed since the quarterback only needs one or two seconds to release, so a delayed inside blitz that closes throwing lanes is more effective. If the defense shows Cover 2 with hard corners jamming at the line, this concept slows down and the offense should be expected to check into a screen or draw instead.
Usage Tips
Get the ball out in under two seconds since both primary routes break inside almost immediately off the snap.
Pre-snap, look for cornerbacks playing outside shade or press technique, since that leverage gives the slants a clean angle to the inside.
If you see two high safeties and soft corners, hot route one slant into a speed out or fade to punish off coverage that sits on the quick game.
Use this on early downs or third and short to keep the defense honest against your run game tags in this set, then mix in RPO Peek Slant or Double Slants from the same personnel to force linebackers to hesitate.
Pair this call with Dagger or PA Dagger later in a series so the defense has to respect both the quick slant window and the deep shot off similar formation tendencies.
