Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
TE Attack is a play-action flood concept out of Singleback Wing Tight U that overloads one side of the field while stretching the defense vertically and horizontally. Off the run fake, both outside receivers push vertical Go routes to clear out the deep coverage, the TE from the wing releases into a corner route, the inline TE runs a deep post crossing the middle, and the backside receiver works a shallow drag underneath. This is a man beater against single-high looks: the Go routes occupy the corners, the corner route attacks the flat defender, and the post exploits any linebacker or safety trying to rob the middle, with the shallow drag as a checkdown versus blitzes. Primary read progression starts with the TE corner route, works to the post over the middle, and comes down to the drag if the play action holds the defense long enough.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing single-high or two-high safety alignment since this play is designed to punish single-high man coverage. Watch the flat defender or overhang corner: if he sinks with the corner route from the TE, the post over the middle should be wide open behind him. Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he bites on the run fake, the post and drag both have room to work against a hollowed out defense. Post-snap, look for a user controlled defender lurking in the middle of the field, this is the main threat that can jump the post route and turn it into a turnover. This play struggles against Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with disciplined deep safeties, since the two vertical Go routes get taken away and the post has less room to sit down.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or in play-action friendly situations like 2nd and short to sell the run fake and freeze the linebackers.
Check the safety alignment before the snap: if you see two high safeties rotate down post-snap, the post route from the inline TE will have a soft window in the middle.
Hot route the drag into a deeper in-route if you are facing zone heavy defenses that sit underneath, this gives you a sneaky man beater versus Cover 3 sink.
Pair this play with HB Dive or HB Inside Zone from the same set earlier in a series so the play-action fake actually threatens the defense and linebackers bite on the run action.
Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out on the corner route quickly since the flood concept naturally beats blitz rotations that vacate the flat.
