Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Dagger out of Singleback Doubles 11 personnel puts two receivers to the closed side, with the outside receiver running a deep dig that sits at 15 yards while the inside receiver clears the middle with a vertical seam to hold the safety. To the open side, the TE runs a corner route breaking away from the deep dig, and the backside receiver runs a comeback that gives you a built in outlet if the safety jumps the dig. The primary read is the dig against the vacated middle of the field: read the seam clearing the underneath defender, then work the dig, and use the corner route or comeback as your secondary progression if the coverage rotates hard to one side. This is a pass play designed as both a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, using the vertical seam to occupy the deep defenders and open the intermediate window for the dig.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing, since two safeties splitting the field wide open invites the dig to sit in the intermediate window against Cover 2. Watch the middle linebacker or hook defender at the snap, because a fast drop into the throwing lane of the dig can jump the route and bait a pick six if the seam does not clear him out. Against Cover 3, key the free safety, since the seam route is designed to occupy him and open the dig underneath before the corner or flat defender can recover. User controlled defenders sitting in the middle of the field as a lurk threat are the biggest counter to this concept, so if you see a defender spying that throwing lane, look to the corner route or comeback instead. Man coverage with no deep help is where this play is most vulnerable to a big play, since a blown coverage on the seam or dig can turn into an explosive gain, but disciplined man defenders staying with their assignments can force you to the checkdown.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or second and medium when you have time to let the dig develop, since the route takes a few seconds to break open. Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high look, because Dagger is built to exploit both Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells. If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, hot route the seam runner into a straight vertical to stress the deep defender and create more room for the dig behind it. Pair this play with Four Verticals or Streaks in the same set to keep defenses honest against the seam, then come back to Dagger once they start jumping underneath routes. Use the corner route as a built in answer versus Cover 2, since the flat defender cannot cover both the corner and any shallow route to that side.
