Using Hybrid Sets

by Big B
This is a break down from the Pittsburgh playbook. The Steelers playbook was one of the most used this season because of all of the sets they had to offer. I wanted to use this playbook with the Cards to show you how effective hybrid sets are in the game regardless of which team you use.



This play has many options in it that you can use. You have two speed outs that work well against man coverage and are excellent hot reads. Then you have the middle curl to sit in the soft spot of the zone. Then you have the corner route for the deep play. You also have a flat route that you can use as well as a hot read.



Now you have a mesh with the out and flat routes. The read is easy. The flat will draw away the flat coverage. If there isn’t any you hit the back. If you see the flat coverage you hit the quick out.



Now you see that the defense is in man coverage. Now I can hit the out because the HB is pulling away any help and the TE has leverage in this route. So over the top help is useless at this point once he cuts.



Nice catch and you see this is a great shot showing leverage here. If the defender was closer the TE would have the inside position on the defender.



Now this is the other side of the field. You see that the corner, curl, and out are being used here. The out holds the underneath coverage. The curl works for the soft spot, and the corner route is your deep option. What you hope is that the curl and the out will hold the underneath coveage to get the leverage on the corner route for the deep play.



You see that the deep route and the out open a soft spot in the zone. Now you can expose it.



Easy catch and now the defense has something to deal with at this time.



Now we all know that the out is the most used route in footballl next to slants and curls.



The reason why is because it’s very hard to to cover. The wideout is driving up field hard to sell the streak and then he makes a sharp cut. If the defender is playing up tight he will be broken off if the wideout is fast and has size. If he plays off, the wideout has room to get the ball before the defender gets there.



You see when the wideout gets open he calls for the ball. The zone defender walked away from the out and now he has room to work.



Nice catch again for a few yards.



Now this is the deep route. The key is that you need to read the safety to see if you can get this off. You need to see him move back or away. If they roll outside with the corner route make sure that you have room to under cut the defender when you go for the ball.



You see that the defense move back and over. Now I have a small window to get this off.



This is what good QBs are able to do. Get that pass in an area where only your man can catch it.



Now this is your last hot read. The key is that if you see heat make sure no one is in the flat area. Once you see that then you make a move.



I see that I had no one there and I hit the flats.



Now its all about stick at this point.



I broke a tackle and made a move upfield.



This is for those that wanted to know what the play is and the formation that was being used. This page has 3 other great plays you can mesh with this one.

Final Thoughts

The use of hybrid sets allow you to have spread and compression at the same time. The game is changing so you need to make adjustments to move the ball. Lab this set against other coverages and see how hard it is to stop when you have you reads down. LOL See ya next week.