Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Stick out of Singleback Ace Close (12 personnel) shows both outside receivers running deep in routes toward the sideline, clearing the flat and pulling coverage width from the boundary. The inside slot runs a vertical seam up the middle while the tight end to the strong side (marked in red) pushes a vertical route as well, stressing the hook and seam zones. This is a classic zone beater built off the Stick concept, using flood width from the ins to open throwing lanes for the seam and vertical routes underneath, with the running back staying in as a check valve. Primary progression starts with the seam route, works to the deep in on the boundary side, then checks down to the flat or the back if the middle stays clogged.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the safety alignment, if both safeties are deep at 10-plus yards you are likely seeing Cover 2 or Cover 4, which invites the deep in routes to sit underneath the corners. Watch linebacker spacing at the snap, if the Mike and Sam widen out to cover the flat routes the middle seam will be wide open for a big gain. User-controlled defenders sitting in the middle hook zone are the biggest threat to this concept, so if you see a defender spying that area pre-snap, expect the seam to be taken away and pivot to the deep in route instead. Man coverage with no help over the top gets exploited by the seam route running vertically past the linebacker, especially if the defense shows blitz with the Sam or Will crashing the edge. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender can undercut the deep in routes, so if you see the corner sitting low and outside, hold the ball and look for the seam or check down to the back instead of forcing the boundary throw.
Usage Tips
Look for the linebacker depth pre-snap, if the Mike and Sam are sitting shallow at five yards or less this seam route will sit right in the soft spot behind them. Use motion out of the backfield to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the back across the formation you know its man and can hot route the seam runner into a quick option route to beat a blitz. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, prioritize the deep in routes since they settle in the hole between the corner and the flat defender. This play pairs well with HB Zone Wk or HB Stretch out of the same formation to keep the defense honest on early downs before hitting them with the seam shot on second and medium. Save Stick for third and short to medium since the in-cuts and seam route both have built in high percentage completion windows against zone drops.
