Playbooks
Breakdown
Fade Stops out of Shotgun Trips lines up with a single receiver backside on the fade route and three receivers to the trips side. The backside X runs a fade up the sideline, the outermost trips receiver also runs a vertical fade, and the two inside trips receivers settle into stop routes at the sticks while the HB releases into a check release out of the backfield. This is primarily a man beater, using the fades to attack single coverage on the boundary while the stops give the quarterback quick, high percentage answers underneath against off coverage or when the fades are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check corner depth and leverage on both the backside X and the trips side outside receiver, since press man invites a jump ball on the fade. Watch safety rotation before the snap, a single high safety cheating toward the trips side signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, which favors user-controlled zone defenders sitting on the stop routes. Post-snap, key the underneath linebackers and nickel defender in the trips bunch, quick sink into the stop route windows shuts down the short game and forces the quarterback to hold the ball for the fade. Watch for corner blitz or nano blitz pressure off the edge, since the backside single receiver side has no extra protection and the fade takes time to develop. If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, expect the corners to squeeze the fades, which opens the stop routes as the primary answer against this shell.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the corners are playing press or off coverage on the outside receivers before deciding between the fades and the stop routes.
Against man coverage with no safety help over the top, throw the backside fade early since it isolates one on one on the sideline.
Against zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4, work the stop routes from the trips side since the underneath defenders will sink and open passing lanes at the sticks.
Use this play on third and short to medium since the stop routes are built to convert distance quickly if the fades are not there.
Pair this with 60 Go or Four Verticals earlier in a series to condition the defense to respect vertical shots, then come back to Fade Stops to hit the stop routes when defenders bite on the deep threat.
