Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Levels DBL Outs is a double outs concept out of Shotgun Tight Y Off Wk, stacking two out routes on the outside (from the outermost WR and the TE/slot receiver breaking to the sideline at intermediate depth) while the backside receiver runs a levels concept up the seam into a corner route. The backside slot runs a quick out underneath, and the RB releases out of the backfield on a curl/flat route to the boundary, giving the quarterback a layered read from underneath to intermediate to deep. This is a Cover 2 beater built to attack the flat-to-corner void with the double outs while the levels/corner combo stresses the deep half safety, so the primary read starts with the flat/out combo underneath and works up to the corner if the cornerback sinks or the safety bites on the shallow stuff.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify two-high safety shells since Cover 2 and Cover 4 leave natural windows for both out routes to settle into. Key the flat defender and curl/hook backer; if they widen with the RB release or the underneath out, the levels route up the seam will be uncontested. Watch for user-controlled defenders lurking the intermediate out route depth, since a savvy user can jump the throw if the quarterback stares it down too long. Cover 3 with a hard-sinking cornerback can take away the outside out route, so be ready to reset to the RB flat or the levels concept underneath. Blitz-heavy fronts that bring five or more rushers will collapse the pocket before both out routes fully develop, so quick game to the underneath out or RB is the answer against pressure.
Usage Tips
Use this against Cover 2 shells since the double outs sit right in the void between the corner and safety before the safety can rotate over the top.
Pre-snap, check for two safeties split deep and corners playing off; that alignment tells you the outs will be open at the sticks.
If the corner squats hard on the flat route, hot route the out receiver into a corner or take the levels concept up top since the safety has to widen for the second out.
This play pairs well with Smash Drag and Smash X-drag in the same set since defenders that jump the flat routes on those calls get burned by the double outs sitting behind them here.
Best used on 2nd and medium to 3rd and long where the sticks line up with the out route depth, giving you a high percentage completion with YAC potential.
