Playbooks

Zone Fake Jet

Singleback·Doubles·11
Play ActionMotionPass Play
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

In 1 playbook

Fix OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Zone Fake Jet is a play-action pass out of Singleback Doubles that opens with jet motion across the formation to bait the defense into flowing toward the sweep fake before the QB rolls into a zone-clearing route concept. The play-fake on the fake jet freezes linebackers and creates a run-pass conflict for flow defenders, which opens up the intermediate zone voids over the middle and to the boundary. This is primarily a zone beater since the jet action pulls linebacker eyes and opens soft spots in Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells, and your primary read progression starts with the deep crossing or dig route working away from the motion before working back to the shorter check down released from the backfield fake.

Defensive Reads

Key the linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up toward the jet motion fake instead of dropping into zone landmarks that confirms the play action has worked and the deep middle should be open. Watch the safety rotation before the snap, a two high shell that stays two high post snap tells you Cover 4 or Cover 2 zone drops are likely and the deep crossing route should find a soft window between levels. If a cornerback follows the motion man across the formation in man match, that is your tell for man coverage and you should look to the backside route away from the motion for a favorable one on one. User lurk defenders sitting in the shallow middle zone are the biggest threat to this concept, since they can jump the crossing route if they read the play fake and stay disciplined. Against aggressive blitz packages with a nano blitz look, get the ball out fast to the shorter option since the play fake eats up extra time in the pocket and puts the QB at risk against overload pressure.

Usage Tips

Use the jet motion pre-snap to identify if the defense shifts a linebacker or defender to spy the motion man, since that confirms man coverage or a scrape exchange call.

If the defense stays static and does not adjust to the motion, that is a strong indicator of zone coverage and you should trust the play fake to hold the second level defenders.

Hot route the underneath option to a quick out or flat route against teams that blitz off the edge, since the play action fake slows down defensive ends less than interior rushers.

Call this on early downs like first or second and medium to set up run-pass balance, since the jet sweep look out of this same formation on other plays like Jet Sweep or PA Jet Sweep keeps the defense honest on run fits.

Sequence this play after running actual Jet Sweep or HB Stretch earlier in the game so linebackers respect the outside run threat and bite harder on the fake, opening the deep zone read even more.

Other Plays in Doubles