Playbooks

Levels Out KO

Shotgun·Trey Y-Flex·11
OutLevelsPass PlayCover 2 Beater
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

MUT KO Balanced OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Levels Out KO out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex is a classic Cover 2 beater built around stacked in-breaking levels routes on one side with an out route serving as the KO (kickout) breakaway option to the flat. The levels concept (a deep dig sitting behind a shallow in route) attacks the seams and hooks vacated by Cover 2 linebackers, while the out route stretches the flat defender horizontally and punishes cornerbacks sitting in zone. This is a pure drop back passing concept with no play-action or RPO element, and the blocking scheme is a standard five man protection to hold up against four man rushes. Primary read progression starts with the deep dig on levels, works down to the shallow in route sitting underneath, and finishes with the out route as the checkdown or hot read against man pressure.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, check for two deep safeties which signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, both of which are vulnerable to the levels dig sitting in the intermediate void between the corner and safety. Watch cornerback depth at the snap since soft corners playing off coverage give you the out route as an easy pitch and catch, while press corners force you to hot route the out into something quicker. Post snap, key the flat defender and the hook linebacker, if the flat defender sinks with the out route it opens the shallow in route underneath, and if the hook linebacker widens with the shallow in route it opens the dig behind him. This play struggles against Cover 3 sky or Cover 6 with a hard flat defender sitting on the out route, since that removes your easiest completion and forces you to rely purely on the levels timing. Blitz packages with a spy or a nano blitz on the strong side can collapse the pocket before levels fully develops, so check protection and be ready to check down or throw the out route quickly if pressure shows pre snap.

Usage Tips

Identify the safety shell before the snap because this play is designed to gash Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells that leave the intermediate hook and seam areas open for the levels dig. If you see press man or Cover 1 look to hot route the out into a quick speed out or slant to beat the corner off the line before the levels routes have time to develop. Use this play on second and medium to second and long, or first and ten, since it needs a full route tree to fully stretch the defense both vertically and horizontally. Pair this with Levels Y Corner or Slot Post from the same set to keep the defense guessing between levels concepts and corner route shots, forcing safeties to hesitate on their run fits. Against zone heavy opponents who key on the dig, use the out route as your primary read early in the game to open up the levels crossers on later downs. If the user jumps the underneath in route with a linebacker spy, immediately climb the progression to the deep dig sitting behind him.

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