Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Quick Looks out of Shotgun Tight Flex sends both outside receivers on deep out breaking routes toward the sideline while the slot receiver runs a quick corner route into the void behind them. This is a three level flood concept to one side and a horizontal stretch to the other, built to attack zone drops with immediate sideline throws rather than beat man coverage over the top. With no vertical stem and no play-action mesh, the primary read progression starts with the near side out route for the quick sideline throw, then works to the slot corner if a zone defender jumps the flat, and finally checks the backside out route if the play holds.
Defensive Reads
Watch for cornerback depth presnap since tight man coverage on the outside receivers takes away the quick out throw and forces you into the slot corner as the only real option. Key the slot defender at the snap, if he sinks into a deep zone drop the out routes underneath him are wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Any blitz look with only two deep safeties usually means the flat and short zones are thin, so the near side out route should be uncontested if the blitz gets home late. Watch for a user controlled defender flashing down to the flat, since that lurk threat can jump the quick out route and turn it into a pick six if you throw with anticipation into a sitting defender. Cover 3 with a hard corner sitting the flat zone is the toughest shell against this concept, since it takes away both the out route and the shallow window for the slot corner route.
Usage Tips
Use this play on 3rd and short to medium since the out routes and corner route are designed to hit quickly and get yards after the catch.
Presnap, identify if the corners are playing off man or zone. Off coverage corners with soft cushions are money for the quick out throws.
If you see a two high safety shell, target the slot corner route since it sits in the void between the flat defender and the deep half safety.
Combine this with Stick or Slot Curl from the same set to keep defenders guessing between quick flat throws and stick concepts that attack the same underneath zones.
Do not force the backside out route into a hard corner playing tight man since the ball has to come out fast and there is no time to read a double move.
