Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Slants out of the Weak I H Wing set is a man beater built around quick-hitting slant routes designed to attack off man coverage and beat linebackers who are late to their zone drops. With 22 personnel giving you a fullback and H-back on the field, the play disguises pass intent well behind heavy run action tendencies from this formation. The primary read progression starts with the outside slant to the wide receiver, working inside to the H-back or tight end slant on the second read, and checking down to the fullback out of the backfield if both are covered.
Defensive Reads
Check safety depth pre-snap, if both safeties are shaded deep in a two-high shell you are likely seeing Cover 2 or Cover 4, which means the flat defender or nickel corner will sit on the shallow slant. Watch linebacker alignment at the snap, if the middle linebacker widens or drops hard into a zone drop rather than pressing the slant lane, expect Cover 3 and throw with anticipation before the window closes. Man coverage shows through corner leverage, inside shade or press alignment on the receiver signals man beater potential for the slants since defenders trailing will be a step behind the break. Look for user-controlled linebackers sitting in the shallow hook zone, since a smart user defender can undercut the inside slant to the H-back and jump the route for a pick six. Blitz-heavy fronts with Cover 0 or Cover 1 behind them get exposed hard by this play, but disguised zone blitzes that drop a defensive lineman into the shallow slant window can blow up the first read, so always have your check-down ready.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion with the H-back to identify man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following the motion confirms man coverage and tells you to trust the slant against a jump.
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick out or hitch to give yourself a two-way go against Cover 3 sink zones where the corner and flat defender squeeze the underneath slants.
This play shines on early downs and third and short to third and medium since the slants develop fast and get the ball out before pressure arrives.
Pair this with HB Gut or HB Power O from the same set so the defense respects run action out of Weak I, which slows linebacker reactions to the slant crossers.
Against aggressive user blitzers, throw the frontside slant immediately off the snap since the quick timing negates most nano blitz packages before they reach the quarterback.
