Playbooks
China Special
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
China Special is a play-action deep shot concept out of the Strong I Slot Flex set designed to attack Cover 3 and single-high man coverages. Off the play-action fake, the backside receiver runs a deep post that crosses the field while the frontside receiver from the slot pushes vertical on a Go route, creating a natural crossing conflict for a single-high safety. Underneath, the tight end works an out route to the flat and the flanker runs a short out breaking away from the formation, giving the flood concept a horizontal answer if the deep shots are covered. The primary read progression starts with the deep post, works to the Go route if the safety leans post-side, and checks down to the flat or out routes underneath against soft zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Identify single-high safety alignment before the snap. This is the biggest indicator this play is designed to attack Cover 3 or Cover 1 shells with the deep post and Go combo. Watch for a user-controlled safety cheating toward the post route. If he commits, the Go route from the slot should be wide open behind him. Key linebacker depth at the snap. Shallow linebackers who bite on the play-action fake open up throwing lanes for the flat and out routes underneath. Look for man coverage matchups on the outside receiver running the Go route. If the corner has no safety help over the top, this route will win downfield. Watch for zone defenders sinking into the flood side. Cover 3 defenses that get their curl-flat defender to the flat route width can shut down the underneath answers, forcing a strictly vertical throw.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or in shot-play situations like second and short where defenses expect run out of Strong I personnel, since the play-action fake sells hardest against run-heavy defensive tendencies.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap. A single-high safety in Cover 1 or Cover 3 is the ideal trigger for this shot play, while two-high shells should push you toward the flat or out routes instead of forcing the deep post.
Use the post and Go crossing combo to isolate a single deep defender. If the safety bites on the post, hot route or throw the Go route on time before the corner can recover.
Pair this call with HB Dive or Power O earlier in a series to get defenses to bite on the play-action fake, then dial up China Special once linebackers start creeping into run fits.
Against man coverage, trust the post to win off the natural pick action created by the crossing routes, and use the flat route as a built-in answer versus mable blitzes.
