Playbooks

Fade Smash

Singleback·Doubles·11

Fade Smash Pass Play Cover 2 Beater

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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

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Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

SetDoubles

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

Fix OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Fade Smash is a classic smash concept pass play out of Singleback Doubles 11 personnel, pairing a fade route from the outside receiver with a corner or hitch route underneath from the slot or inside receiver on the same side. This high low combination stretches the cornerback and safety vertically on one side of the field, making it a premier Cover 2 beater since the fade attacks the void behind the corner and in front of the safety before he can rotate over. The primary read progression starts with the fade against Cover 2 or single high shells, then works down to the underneath smash route if the safety commits deep or if a defender jumps the fade route.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, count the safeties: two deep safeties with corners at five to seven yards of cushion signals Cover 2, which is exactly what this play is designed to exploit. Post snap, watch the flat defender or cornerback drop depth on the smash route side, since a hard sink into the flat opens the fade for a back shoulder placement. Watch for user controlled safeties baiting the fade with a shallow depth disguise, then breaking hard late, which is the primary way defenses shut this down. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 quarters shells, the fade gets squeezed by the deep third or quarter defender, so expect to check down to the underneath route instead. Look for nano blitzes or Cover 0 pressure with man corners jumping the fade route, since a blitzing defense with no safety help can undercut the route before the ball arrives.

Usage Tips

Identify Cover 2 pre snap by reading two deep safeties with corners playing soft outside leverage, since this is the shell Fade Smash punishes hardest.

Throw the fade with a high, back shoulder placement so your receiver can box out the corner in the honey hole between the flat defender and deep safety.

If the defense shows Cover 3 or a single high safety, hot route the underneath route into a quick out or speed out to beat the flat defender before help arrives.

Use this play on the outer thirds of the field on second and medium or third and short, since the sideline acts as an extra defender against Cover 2 corners.

Sequence this with Smash or Curl Flats earlier in a series to condition the defense into sitting on underneath throws, then hit the fade over the top once safeties start creeping down.