Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
WR Go's out of Strong I H Close Off sends both outside receivers vertical on Go routes to stretch the field deep down each sideline, while the inline TE and slot run a shallow drag and a delayed out/flat combo underneath to hold linebackers and clear space. The blue route from the backfield breaks into the flat as a check down against pressure or a blitzing look. This is a man beater built to isolate cornerbacks on the boundary, with the primary read starting on the single receiver Go route away from the strength of the formation, then progressing to the far side Go, then working down to the underneath drag and flat if both verticals are blanketed.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap identify if the corners are playing press man or off man, press man with no safety help is the green light to fire this play immediately Watch for a single high safety rotating late, that tips man coverage underneath and confirms the outside Go routes have room to work If you see two deep safeties splitting the field evenly pre snap, that is a Cover 2 or Cover 4 shell and both verticals will likely be capped, prioritize the underneath drag and flat instead User controlled defenders sitting in a deep third or deep half will erase the Go route on that side, so read the user's positioning at the snap and throw away from him Disguised zone blitzes that show man pre snap but drop a linebacker into a shallow zone will jump the drag route, so have an answer ready to climb the ladder to the vertical if the underneath window closes
Usage Tips
Check safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are shaded deep and outside the numbers this play struggles because it removes the middle read entirely
Look for single high shells or man coverage with no deep help over your X or Z, that is when the Go routes will win one on one on the boundary
Hot route the drag to a deeper crossing route if you see zone shells like Cover 3 to give yourself a intermediate window instead of a shallow checkdown
Use this play on second and long or third and long shot situations where you need a big chunk gain and can live with an incompletion
Pair this with HB Blunt Dive or HB Stretch earlier in a drive to get linebackers and safeties creeping up on run fits, then dial up WR Go's off that same look to hit the play action feel without the mesh point
