Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Levels Sail out of Shotgun Trey Offset lines up three receivers to the left with a lone TE on the strong side who runs a vertical sail route up the seam and breaks outside. The trips side stacks two levels routes underneath, a short flat/in route and a deeper crossing in route, while the inside receiver of the trips runs a corner route (red) that clears out over the middle. The TE and outside receiver on the strong side combine for a sail concept, with the TE sitting at the flat and the outside man pushing vertical then breaking to the corner, creating a natural high low read against zone coverage. This is a pass play designed as a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, with the primary read progression starting at the levels concept (low in, high in) on the backside before working to the sail combo on the strong side if the corner or flat defender widens.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify two deep safeties versus one high safety, this determines whether the offense attacks the flat with sail or works levels underneath. Watch the strong side flat defender, if he widens with the TE's sail route the corner route behind him opens up for a big gap shot. Key the middle linebacker's drop, in Cover 3 he often has to cover the shallow in route from levels, if he bites on the flat concept the deeper in route sits down in the void. User the underneath zone defender closest to the levels stack, jumping the shallow in route with a spot drop defender takes away the quick answer and forces the quarterback to hold the ball. Disguise coverage by rolling a safety down late to threaten the flat, this can bait the quarterback into throwing levels into a robber look sitting in the shallow zone.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap, two deep safeties tell you Cover 2 is live and the sail concept on the strong side becomes your first read against the flat defender.
If you see a single high safety rotate late, work the levels concept first since Cover 3 corners tend to sink into the deep third and leave the shallow in routes open underneath.
Use the levels routes as your quick game answer against blitz looks, the short in route gets the ball out fast and beats man coverage on picks created by the stacked releases.
Pair this play with RPO Zone Alert Stick or RPO Alert Screen earlier in a series so the defense respects the run action, that hesitation opens up the sail route against Cover 2 corners playing run support.
Best used on second and medium or third and long since it stresses both underneath zones and deep thirds, giving the quarterback multiple answers based on leverage.
