Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
617 out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot is a five man route concept built to attack man and zone coverage with a smash and wheel combo to the closed side and a slant flat concept backside. The outside receiver runs a go route on the closed side while the slot underneath him fires a wheel route up the sideline, creating a smash style stack read against the corner and safety. On the backside the receiver at the line runs a slant while the inline TE releases into the flat, giving the quarterback a quick access throw versus off coverage or zone drops. Primary progression starts with the slant flat side for a fast, high percentage completion, then works to the smash and wheel combo if the defense sits low or the corner jumps the underneath route.
Defensive Reads
Watch for the flat defender sinking to cut off the flat route, if he stays wide the slant window opens up immediately behind him. Key the corner on the wheel side, if he sits on the underneath route expecting a flat or curl, the wheel will beat him over the top for a big gain. Off man coverage on the slant receiver is the biggest green light for this play since the slant can be thrown almost instantly after the snap. Zone drops with a deep half safety shading toward the wheel route can bracket the sideline and force the quarterback back to the slant flat side. Watch for a nano blitz or edge pressure off the backside since the quick game on the slant flat is designed to counter exactly that kind of pressure.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the corner over the slant is playing off or press since that determines whether the slant is an instant throw or needs a hitch in your drop.
Check the safety depth on the wheel side, if the safety cheats down into the box the wheel route has single coverage down the sideline for an explosive play.
Use the slant flat combo as your first read on third and short or third and medium since it is designed to beat both man and zone with a quick, high percentage completion.
If the defense shows two high safeties before the snap, prioritize the wheel route matchup since it usually signals man coverage underneath with the corner trailing.
Pair 617 with Curl Wheel or Smash from this same set to keep the defense guessing on whether the wheel or slant flat is the actual first read.
