Playbooks
Air Raid Under is a trips-based passing concept out of Shotgun Wide Trips HB WK with 10 personnel, designed to stretch the field vertically and horizontally against both man and zone coverage. The trips side runs a combination of an under route and a deep route that clears out space underneath while the backside receiver works a dig or crosser to occupy the middle linebacker. This is a man beater against off coverage and a zone beater against Cover 3, with the primary read progression starting at the under route sitting down in the shallow to intermediate zone before working to the deep trips route if the safety bites down or a linebacker vacates his zone drop.
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing Cover 3 or Cover 1, since both leave the underneath zone or man matchup vulnerable to the under route sitting down in the void. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he drops too deep in his zone or bites on the backside crosser, the under route will have a clean throwing lane. Key the trips side cornerback's technique, if he presses at the line expect a quicker developing under route, if he plays off expect more separation on the deeper trips route. Beware of Cover 4 or pattern match zone coverage where the flat defender can jump the under route and the deep safety has help over the top on the trips concept. Watch for user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow zone, since a smart human defender can bait the quarterback into throwing the under route into a jump ball situation.
Look at the safety alignment before the snap to identify if you are facing a two high shell or a single high look, since this route combo punishes single high defenses that ask the backside safety to help over the top of trips.
If the cornerback on the trips side is playing off man technique, target the under route on a quick rhythm throw before the underneath defenders can close the window.
Hot route the backside receiver into a slant if you diagnose Cover 2 or Cover 4 with a hard flat defender, since that adjustment gives you a quicker answer against a two high shell.
Pair this play with HB Angle Screen or Quick Slants in your play calling sequence to keep the defense honest on quick game answers before dialing up Air Raid Under on second and long or third and medium.
Use Air Raid Under after running All Go or Deep Flood to bait the safety into staying deep, then attack the intermediate under route once the defense adjusts its shell.