Playbooks
Post Corner Drive
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Post Corner Drive out of Shotgun Tight Open (11 personnel) attacks vertical zone leverage with a two-level route combo on the right side. The outside WR runs a post corner up the sideline while the inside slot receiver runs a drive route underneath heading to the flat, and on the backside the isolated WR runs a deep vertical to hold the safety. This is a man and zone beater built for Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells, with the primary read progression going post corner first to attack the corner-to-safety seam, then working down to the drive route underneath if the coverage rolls over the top.
Defensive Reads
Read the cornerback depth at the snap, if he sinks deep with the post corner route it signals zone coverage and the drive route underneath becomes open. Watch for a user-controlled safety flying over the top on the post corner route, this is the biggest threat to this play and usually means Cover 4 or Cover 2 with safety help. Key the flat defender or nickel corner on the drive route, aggressive jumps on that route open up the post corner behind him. Look for disguised blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge, since the deep routes take time to develop this play is vulnerable to a fast four or five man rush. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender and deep third corner can shut this down if the safety rotates over the post corner in time, check the middle of the field pre-snap to confirm single high looks.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two deep safeties split evenly this play is built to attack the Cover 2 hole between the corner and safety with the post corner route.
Use the backside vertical as a clearout to occupy the deep safety and open throwing lanes for the post corner, do not force the ball there unless the corner bites hard on the drive route.
Against Cover 4, throw with anticipation on the post corner before the safety can climb into the deep quarter, this window closes fast against disciplined defenders.
In man coverage, hot route the drive route to a quick out if you see a linebacker or nickel corner shaded with no help underneath, this creates an easy void against Cover 1 or Cover 3 man matches.
Pair this play with Slot Post or Curl Y-Option in your call sheet sequencing, running similar route stems early forces the defense to respect the post corner shot later on third and long.
