Verticals

Pre snap, check for two deep safeties splitting the field evenly which signals Cover 2 and tells you the corner route from the seam receiver should win outside the numbers Watch for a single high safety shading toward the trips side, which usually means Cover 3 and opens up the deep middle seam route for the quarterback Post snap, track the flow of the middle linebacker since a delayed drop or blitz creates a natural throwing lane up the seam for the inside vertical route Beware of a user controlled safety sitting in a deep half or playing a robber technique in the middle of the field, as this defender can jump the skinny post or seam route if the quarterback stares it down This concept struggles against press man coverage with a deep half safety rolled over the trips side, so be ready to check to the HB wheel or backside go route as a hot read if you see disguised man press