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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
RPO Peek Slant is run out of Shotgun Trey Open HB Str with 11 personnel, giving the offense a bunch look to the trips side and a single receiver to the backside. Post snap the QB reads the run fit versus the peek slant thrown from the inside trips receiver, while the two outside trips receivers run a flat and a corner-breaking route to hold the deep defenders. The offensive line executes an inside zone blocking scheme with the HB running strong, and the backside X receiver runs an inside release that clears space rather than acting as a true target. This is a true RPO built to punish light boxes and aggressive linebackers, and the primary read progression is box count first, then the peek slant defender, then hand off if the numbers stay even.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap identify the number of defenders in the box, a stacked box with seven or more defenders signals the offense will likely throw the peek slant instead of handing off. Key the flat defender to the trips side, if he sits flat footed reading run he will jump the slant window and take away the RPO throw. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, linebackers who crash hard downhill on the run action open up easy throwing lanes for the slant behind them. Man coverage on the inside trips receiver is vulnerable to the slant because there is no natural underneath help, so press man alignments get exposed quickly. Zone coverage shells with a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle can jump the slant route, so user control a linebacker or safety underneath to disrupt this throw and force the offense back to the run.
Usage Tips
Count the box pre snap and if there are six or fewer defenders in the box, favor pulling the ball and hitting the peek slant immediately off the snap. Watch the flat defender and the corner over the trips side, if they widen or bail into a deep zone the peek slant window opens up underneath them. Use this play on early downs like first and second and ten to keep defenses honest, since it forces linebackers to respect both the run and the quick slant. Pair this with RPO Zone Peek and RPO Alert Smoke from the same set so the defense cannot key on a single peek route or run action. If the defense shows a hard crash or overloaded box pre snap, hot route the peek slant into a quicker throw or simply take the automatic give to the HB for a clean gap read.
