Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
22 Shallow Sail is a trips-based pass concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Wk that combines a shallow crossing route with a sail combo to the trips side. The backside X runs a deep comeback while the trips receivers stack a corner route over a flat route, creating a high low sail read against the boundary defender, and the shallow crosser drags underneath from the opposite side. The HB releases into a flat route out of the backfield, giving the quarterback a five man route distribution with a built in checkdown against blitz looks.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he widens with the sail route the corner route will have a soft landing spot behind him. Key the middle linebacker depth, a shallow drop signals zone coverage and opens the crossing route as the first read. Diagnose blitz pressure by checking the box count before the snap, the HB flat route becomes the checkdown answer if extra rushers are sent. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow crosser lane, this is the primary counter to this concept and forces the quarterback to work the sail side. Look for two deep safeties rotating late, this indicates Cover 2 and confirms the sail corner route should be the primary target over the flat.
Usage Tips
Identify the shallow crosser first since it works as your built in answer against man coverage and blitz pressure.
Use the sail corner route to attack Cover 2 by dragging the flat defender down before the corner route sits behind him in the void.
Check pre-snap for single high versus two high safety shells, this concept holds up better against Cover 3 and Cover 2 than true man match schemes.
Pair this play with Dig Cross or Mtn Y Cross in your play calling sequence so the shallow crosser tendency does not get jumped by user linebackers.
On third and medium, lean on the deep comeback from the X receiver if the defense sits soft to take away the shallow and sail combo underneath.
