Playbooks

Clearout Pick Return

Shotgun·Trey Open·11
Motion

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun
Tags
Motion

In 2 playbooks

Vikings OffenseOffenseNFL Live Vikings OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Clearout Pick Return is a man beater built around natural traffic to spring a receiver open on a return route underneath. Motion shifts the trips side alignment to help the receiver stack or rub off a defender before he breaks back to the vacated area, while the backside receiver runs a clearout vertical to pull his defender (and any lurking safety help) out of the throwing window. The primary read starts with the clearout route to bait the safety, then progresses immediately to the return route working back to the QB for a quick, high percentage completion against man coverage.

Defensive Reads

Check safety depth before the snap, a single high safety cheating toward the trips side signals help over the top on the clearout route and tells you to trust the return route earlier. Watch cornerback press alignment on the trips receivers, tight press man coverage is where the pick action does the most damage since defenders get caught in traffic. Post snap, track any user controlled defender who jumps the pick route or shows lurk instincts in the shallow zone, this play struggles against a spy or a defender who reads the rub and undercuts it. Identify off man or zone match coverage pre-snap, defenders playing off coverage can mirror the return route without getting picked, which kills the concept's main advantage. Watch for underneath zone blitzes or nano pressure packages that get defenders to the throwing lane before the return route settles, since quick pressure eliminates the timing needed for this concept to hit.

Usage Tips

Use the motion pre-snap to confirm man versus zone, if the defender follows across the formation you have a green light for the pick action to work.

Snap the ball as soon as motion settles into trips to catch defenses still adjusting their alignment, this creates natural rub opportunities against man coverage.

Hot route the clearout receiver to sit down in a hole against zone shells since the clearout won't create the same natural pick against zone defenders sinking into space.

Pair this play with Curls or Stick from the same set to keep defenses guessing between quick underneath combos and the pick action, both attack similar leverage points but with different timing.

Best called on third and short or in the red zone where the quick separation from the return route translates directly into a manageable gain or six points.

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