Deep Outs

Description

A modification of the traditional deep outs plays. The first modification runs two outs on each side, at different depths. The deeper SEs draw the safeties, freeing up the flankers underneath. The second modification is to start each pattern slanted in rather than running straight upfield. This causes the defense, already spread wide across the field to protect against the Slingshot formation, to pull back into the middle of the field, opening the sidelines to sharp cuts to the outside.

The flankers running the underneath routes are the primary targets in this play, with the SE's mainly drawing coverage. The SEs can usually get open, but it's a tricky throw over the coverage of the flanker and away from the outside corner and safety. This requires precision timing and just the right touch on the throw.

Player Assignments

See the Madden Playbook Guide for a description of these symbols.

Read Progression

1. Flanker out (wide side of field)
2. Flanker out (short side of field)
3. SE out (wide side of field)
4. SE out (short side of field)

Analysis

Pros:

• One of the flankers almost always gets open
• Deep shotgun, easy reads and RB blocking make it very hard to give up a sack
• If pressure is brought with a blitz the flanker on the blitz side may get open early on the slant (before he breaks to the outside)
• Longer developing play mostly nullifies effects of bad shotgun snaps
• Even if receivers are covered, leading the pass far enough works as a safe throw away, putting the pass out of bounds

Cons:

• No easy dump off route
• SE outs can be tricky and dangerous, the long distance makes timing very important, and there is usually safety help (the flankers will only get LB help)
• RBs in the formation don't step up to block like you might expect, limiting their effectiveness and sometimes getting in the QB's way when scrambling