Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Slot Deep out of Singleback Wing Slot is a Smash Flood concept built off a Corner and Go combo to the left with a Flat and Out combo to the right. The X receiver runs a hard Corner route while the inside receiver clears vertically on a Go, stacking the defense high low against the sideline, while the TE releases into the flat and the Y runs an Out underneath, giving you a full flood to the right side as a secondary answer. This is a man beater against Cover 1 and Cover 3 thanks to the Go route taking the top off, and the primary read progression starts with the Corner route, works to the Go if you see a bail from the corner, then comes back to the flood side flat and out if the coverage rolls away from the boundary.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment: two high shells signal Cover 2 or Cover 4, which invites a user controlled safety to jump the Corner route, while one high safety usually means Cover 1 or Cover 3 and opens the Go route for a shot play. Watch the cornerback over the X receiver at the snap: if he bails immediately into a deep zone drop, expect Cover 3 and target the Corner route in the void behind him. Key the flat defender on the flood side: if he sinks with the Out route, the Flat route to the TE is wide open underneath, but if he sits on the flat, the Out route breaks open behind him. Track linebacker depth before the snap since shallow linebackers can be beaten easily by the flood concept, but linebackers dropping deep into hook zones can undercut the Out route or spy the quarterback on a play action fake. This concept struggles against a well timed nano blitz or user blitz off the edge, since the Corner and Go combo takes several seconds to develop and leaves the quarterback exposed if the protection breaks down.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hot route check to identify if the defense is showing two high safeties before locking into the Corner and Go side.
Attack Cover 1 and Cover 3 with the Go route since it clears the deep third and creates a natural pick for the Corner route sitting underneath it.
Against zone heavy shells, work the boundary flood on the right with the Flat and Out combo since it stresses the underneath zone defender in a hard horizontal stretch.
Pair this play with Y Stick or Quick Slant earlier in a series to bait linebackers into sitting shallow, then come back to Slot Deep to hit the Corner route over the top.
Best called on second and long or third and long when you need a big chunk play, since the deep Corner and Go combo takes time to develop and needs a clean pocket.
