Playbooks
Breakdown
Verticals HB Burst is a four verticals concept out of Shotgun Tight 11 personnel, sending both outside receivers and the TE straight up the field on vertical routes while the HB releases into the backfield before angling out for a burst route in the left flat. The line stays in to pass block, giving the QB a clean pocket to work through his verticals. The primary read progression starts outside with the two X receiver verticals against the corners, works to the TE vertical up the seam, and checks down to the HB burst underneath if the deep routes are covered.
Defensive Reads
Identify two high safety shells pre-snap since this play is built to stretch Cover 2 vertically before the safeties can get over the top. Watch for a single high safety cheating toward the boundary, that tips Cover 3 and opens the seam route for the TE against the middle third defender. Post-snap, key the flat defender on the HB burst side, if he sits or widens too far outside he leaves a throwing lane for the seam or opposite vertical. User controlled safeties who bail late into a deep half or deep third can jump the outside verticals, so be ready to peek the TE burst underneath if you see a delayed safety rotation. This play struggles against a Cover 4 or Cover 6 shell with disciplined deep defenders, since four verticals into four deep defenders removes the natural window this concept relies on.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or any obvious passing situation where you want to attack a two high shell before the safeties can rotate late.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if both safeties are shaded to one side, hot route the far vertical into a slant or in-route to attack the vacated space.
The HB burst is your answer versus a hard blitz, get the ball out quick to the flat if the offensive line shows signs of getting beat immediately.
Pair this play with Bench or Bench Spray earlier in a series to bait linebackers into shallow drops, then come back to Verticals HB Burst to hit the seam once they bite.
Against Cover 3, target the seam TE route between the deep third defenders since that window opens up as the corners and single high safety widen to the outside verticals.
