Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Pats Y Out is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Close that attacks the boundary and hits an underneath breakout window against zone drops. The trips side stacks a corner route and a deep post over top while the flanker on the numbers runs the shallow drag away from the formation, and the tight end (Y) breaks out to the sideline off the line with the running back leaking underneath for a checkdown. The primary read is the Y out breaking to the flag side since it settles into the void quickest, then progress to the drag away from trips if the flat is taken away, working to the deep shots on the trips side as a shot play if the coverage rolls hard to the single receiver.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a two high shell or single high safety, since a two high look invites the deep corner and post combo on the trips side to work against a soft cornerback. Watch the flat defender or curl to flat zone defender on the tight end side, if he sinks with the vertical release from the outside receiver the Y out will be wide open underneath him. Man coverage with no help over the top is a green light to work the deep post or corner route on the trips side, since the outside routes create natural rub potential for the inside releasing receivers. Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, a shallow drop signals zone coverage and tells you the drag route will have a soft spot to sit down in against Cover 3. Watch for a slot corner blitz or nano blitz look from the trips side, since a quick pressure package can beat the protection before the Y out or drag routes fully develop, forcing an early checkdown to the running back.
Usage Tips
Use this against Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells where the flat defender has to choose between the drag and the Y out, since the out route settles right in the hole created by that conflict.
Motion is not needed pre-snap but check the corner alignment on the single receiver side, if he is playing off you can hot route him to a quick out for an easy completion against soft coverage.
Combine this call with Slot Out and TE Whip from the same set to build a package that stresses the same flat defender with three different timing releases, forcing a guess on user controlled defenders.
On third and medium, prioritize the Y out and drag combo since both routes settle at or past the sticks and give you a high floor if the deep shots are covered.
Pair this with PA Pats Cross or Pats Cross later in a series so the defense sees similar route stems and has to respect the crossing action, opening up the out breaking window even more.
