Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 14 playbooks
Breakdown
Smash out of Shotgun Wing Slot Offset is the classic corner and flat combo run to the trips side of the formation, paired with a deep dig away from it. The outside receiver runs the corner route while the inside slot receiver sits down on the flat/hitch underneath, creating the high low read that stretches any cornerback sitting in a deep quarter or half. On the backside, the lone receiver runs a deep in breaking route (dig) that settles behind linebackers and in front of the deep safety, giving you a true Cover 2 beater with a built in answer if the defense rotates a single high safety over the trips side. This is a pure dropback passing concept with no play action or run tags, so the primary progression starts with the smash combo (flat to corner) and works back to the backside dig if the corner route is capped.
Defensive Reads
Read the cornerback over the outside receiver presnap, if he is playing soft with inside leverage he is sitting on the flat and daring you to throw the corner. Watch the flat defender (usually a linebacker or slot corner) at the snap, if he sinks under the corner route you have a clean throwing window to the flat/hitch route instead. Key the deep safety rotation after the snap, a two high shell that stays split confirms Cover 2 and green lights the corner route, while a safety rotating down to the trips side signals Cover 3 and should send your eyes to the backside dig. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow flat area trying to jump the underneath route, that is a sign to go over the top with the corner instead of forcing the quick throw. If you see a nano blitz or extra pressure look off the edge, get the ball out on time to the flat route as your checkdown since the corner and dig routes take longer to develop against pressure.
Usage Tips
Attack Cover 2 shells first since the corner route is designed to sit behind the cornerback and in front of the safety before he can rotate over the top.
Use your presnap read to check safety depth, if you see two safeties deep and a cornerback playing hard outside leverage, throw the corner route with anticipation.
Hot route the flat defender's man to a quick out or speed out if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top so you are not stuck throwing into a jump ball corner route against tight man.
On third and medium to long, lean on the backside dig as your first read if the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 rotation to the trips side, since the flat defender can sink and take away the shallow route.
Pair this play with Smash Y-Post or Scissors Smash in the same set to keep defenses guessing between the corner and post shots off similar formation and route stems.
