Spinout

Description

Spinout is a passing play that seeks to get the maximum speed out of your offense's receiving corps. The trips receivers positioned tight on the left side run complimentary streak/slant routes. The inside receiver runs a streak to the corner, which clears out the coverage for the middle receiver, who runs a streak underneath the inside receiver towards the deep middle. This in turn clears out the coverage for the outside receiver, who runs a shallow slant over the middle, underneath both streaks. These routes will confound man coverage assignments as defensive backs are forced to run past each other to stay with their man, and the speed of the straight line routes lets the receivers move easily across zones.

A corner route by the isolated split end on the right and a standard swing route by the back round out the play. This doesn't leave any help for protection, but the quarterback shouldn't have to hold onto the ball long for the routes to develop anyway. Also, the post-streak route run by the middle trips receiver works best as a quick throw rather than a deep one. I also make the right SE the primary target so that I can make easy Playmaker hot route audibles to take advantage of weaknesses in the defensive formation. With so many receivers on the opposite side, a quick out pattern by the SE can often get open easily, as well as making more room in the shallow middle for the left outside flanker shallow slant.

Player Assignments

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

Read Progression

1. Left outside flanker shallow slant
2. Left inside flanker post-streak
3. RB swing
4. Right SE corner
5. Left SE corner-streak

Three streak-like routes makes the read progression for Spinout straightforward, though the quick development means that practice is necessary to make the reads manageable. I like to start with the left outside flanker shallow slant. This makes for a nice, easy throw over the middle for modest yards, with decent chance to run after the catch if the receiver has eluded man coverage. Next look to the post-streak. Although this is a deep route it may be easier to hit early like this, before reaching the deep safeties, because the three deep routes all starting close to the middle of the field will ensure that the are defenders protecting the deep middle. At this point check down to the RB swing, as the QB may be under some pressure. If you have time or nothing is open yet look to the right SE corner, and finally the left inside flanker corner-streak. While the post-streak is best thrown early, the corner-streak is a better bet late, after the post-streak has taken the attention of the free safety and the receiver has run away from the traffic up the middle of the field.

Because I've already indicated that the post-streak route should be looked for early, the only other thing to mention is that the right SE corner route can make a good hot read early. The corner route will not be thrown too often because the protection may not last long enough, but if no one lines up directly over the SE a quick throw down the seam can be an easy way to pick up quick yardage.

Analysis

Pros:

• Three streak-like routes make for easy reads and accurate throws
• Shallow slant WR gets open easily, using the more vertical routes run ahead of him to clear out man coverage while slicing across zones
• Quick developing makes it fairly effective against the blitz

Cons:

• No blocking help and under center QB position means QB must be ready to throw quickly
• Streak/slant routes, especially the shallow slant run by the left outside flanker, are prone to getting caught up on defenders in traffic near the line of scrimmage
• Deep routes (post- and corner-streaks and corner route) can be dangerous throws because it can be difficult to determine the coverage due to the receivers all starting close to the middle of the field and running through a lot of traffic