Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Out Seams aligns from Shotgun Spread Y-Slot in 11 personnel and attacks the defense with a five man route concept built to stretch both the sideline and the deep middle. Both outside receivers run hard outs at a shallow depth to clear the flats and give the quarterback quick access throws, while the slot receiver and the TE from the slot push vertical seams to split the hash marks and attack linebacker and safety depth. The running back releases up the middle on a check release seam as well, giving a three way vertical seam stack that overloads zone drops. This is primarily a man beater against Cover 1 and Cover 3 due to the vertical stress on seam defenders, but the outs also give a built in answer versus zone if the corners sink into their drops. Primary progression starts with the strong side seam (TE), works to the backside seam, and comes down to the outs as checkdown or hot throws if the middle of the field is clogged.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker and free safety depth at the snap. If the MLB sinks hard to wall the seam and the FS stays deep middle, throw the out routes immediately before the corners can sink under them. Watch for Cover 3 buzz or Cover 4 shells where the safeties rotate down to help on the seams. This clogs the middle read and forces you to check down to the outs or RB seam quickly. Against Cover 1, identify if there is a lurking linebacker sitting in the throwing lane to the inside seam. A user-controlled defender sitting in that window is the biggest threat to this concept. If the defense shows a two man or Cover 2 shell with corners sitting on the outs, the out routes will be covered and you should target the seams over the top before the safeties can get depth. Beware of nano blitzes or overload pressure off the edge since the outs and seams take time to develop. If you see a heavy blitz look pre-snap, be ready to get the ball out quick to the shallow out route or slide protection to buy time.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium to second and long when you want an explosive play but still have a safety valve underneath.
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safeties. Single high (Cover 1 or Cover 3) means the seams have room to work up the hashes before the free safety can rotate over.
If you see two high shells, prioritize the outs and RB seam since the deep middle will be occupied by both safeties.
Motion the slot receiver before the snap to get a free access release on the seam and confirm man versus zone based on whether a defender follows across the formation.
Pair this play with Four Verticals and Y Seam in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect the vertical seams every snap, then come back to Out Seams to hit the out routes when defenders start jumping the seam throws.
Use hot routes to convert one of the out routes into a comeback if you are facing aggressive cornerback jumps on the sideline.
