Playbooks

Zona Fade

Shotgun·Trips HB Wk·10
FadePass PlayDragCrosserInStreak
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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

Fix OffenseOffense

Receiver routes

Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.

See this play with a team's players
PlayerSideRoute
HB1LeftPass Block
SLWRRightStreak
WR1LeftFade
WR2RightSpeed In
SLWR2RightDrag

Read progression

  1. WR1 left, Fade
  2. SLWR right, Streak or WR2 right, Speed In or SLWR2 right, Drag

Breakdown

Zona Fade is a trips-based man beater out of Shotgun 10 personnel, built around isolating the backside single receiver on a fade route while the trips side clears out coverage with vertical and out breaking routes. The backside fade is the primary read against single high safety looks or press man coverage, giving the QB a one on one shot down the sideline. The trips side serves as a change up progression, with the outside vertical and underneath option releasing as safety valves if the fade window is not there presnap.

Defensive Reads

Presnap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment, single high shells are what this play is designed to attack on the backside fade. Watch the backside cornerback depth and technique, soft cushion or off man coverage takes away the fade window and should send you to the trips side progression instead. Post snap, key any user controlled safety rotating late to double the fade, that late rotation is the biggest defensive read that shuts this play down. Look for corner blitzes or nano blitz pressure off the trips side edge, since the backside protection can be vulnerable to a hot blitzer if the fade read holds too long. Zone defenses that sink cornerbacks into deep thirds or quarters coverage take away the sideline throwing lane, forcing a check down to the underdneath trips options.

Usage Tips

Check the backside cornerback alignment presnap, if he is in press with no safety help over the top, throw the fade immediately off the snap using a back shoulder placement.

Use motion or a hot route on the trips side to distort zone drops before the snap and confirm whether the defense is playing zone or man.

This play excels in red zone and money down situations like third and long or goal line fades where a jump ball favors your receiver's size or catch rating.

Pair Zona Fade with Close Zona Cross or Zona Slot Out earlier in a series so the defense respects the trips side quick game, opening up the isolated fade look later.

Avoid throwing into two high safety shells unless your receiver has a significant height or catch radius advantage, since the fade has no built in leverage against a deep half defender.

Other Plays in Trips HB Wk