Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Y Stick out of Singleback Wing Pair sends the backside X on a shallow out breaking to the sideline while the two receivers to the strong side run a vertical seam/flag combo up the numbers, with the inside slot receiver sitting down on the stick route at the sticks. The TE or wing off the line releases straight up the seam as the vertical stretch. This is a classic zone beater built off the stick concept, using the flat, stick, and vertical to attack curl-flat and hook zone defenders with three-level spacing, though the quick stick and out routes also give you answers against man coverage if you read leverage correctly. Primary read progression starts with the stick (hi-low read on the flat defender), then works to the backside out route, and finally the vertical seam if the defense rolls a single high safety and the underneath defenders bite on the shallow routes.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first since he determines whether the stick route or the flat/out route is open on the hi-low. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, shallow linebackers who crash down on the stick route open up the vertical seam behind them. Key the single high safety rotation, if he bites on the vertical route the backside out or stick becomes wide open in the void. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the vertical seam route, so identify press man alignment on the outside receivers before the snap. Zone blitzes that bring extra rushers off the edge can disrupt the timing of the stick concept, so check for stacked or crashing defensive ends pre-snap to adjust protection or check to a quicker throw.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two-high or single high safety look, since the vertical seam route becomes the go-to shot play against single high shells with no help over the top.
Use the stick route as your rhythm throw on third and short to third and medium, letting the hi-low read on the flat defender dictate whether you throw stick or bounce to the backside out.
Hot route the backside out into a quick hitch or slant against aggressive man corners who jump the route, especially versus press coverage looks.
Pair this play with PA Boot Lt or PA X Burst Cross in the same set to keep the defense honest on run fits before coming back to Y Stick as a quick game answer.
Attack Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with this concept since the stick route sits in the natural void created by curl-flat defenders rotating to the vertical threats.
