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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Skinny Posts out of the Weak I Pro set (21 personnel) sends both outside receivers on skinny post routes that converge toward the middle of the field, while the inside slot man runs a shallow drag/pivot back across the field underneath. The two deep posts stretch the safeties horizontally and vertically, creating natural traffic and rub potential against man coverage, while the underneath crosser sits down as a check-down option versus zone drops. This is a play-action-style dropback pass concept, not a screen or RPO, and the primary read progression starts with the deep post to the boundary side, works to the far post if the safety cheats, and checks down to the underneath drag if both posts are covered.
Defensive Reads
Check the free safety's alignment before the snap since a single-high look tells you the posts will collide with one deep defender in the middle of the field. Watch the cornerbacks' press versus off alignment, tight press man invites a rub route conflict on the posts that is hard to cover. Post-snap, track the middle linebacker's drop depth since a shallow drop opens a throwing lane for the underneath drag route. Identify user-controlled safeties sitting in the deep middle hole (lurk technique) because they can jump both post routes if the quarterback stares down one side too long. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can squeeze the post routes from outside in, so this play is most vulnerable to a hard double team on the posts if thrown late.
Usage Tips
Attack single-high safety looks since both posts will stress the deep middle and force the free safety to pick a lane.
Use pre-snap motion or a hot route on the underneath drag to turn it into a true man beater against man-heavy defenses that jump the posts.
Look to the boundary post first on third and medium since the shorter route to the sideline sits down faster against zone drops.
Pair this call with Quick Slants or Curl Combo from the same Pro Weak I set to keep the defense honest between quick horizontal concepts and this deeper vertical shot.
Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, throw with anticipation to the post that crosses the deep middle hole before the deep third defender can rotate over.
