Great Red Zone Concept vs Bracket Or Double X

Your red zone passing game is often determined by your horizontal answers. After all, the vertical answers are limited by the field position from the get go. This FirstDown PlayBook pass is a great red zone concept that makes the defense choose between playing bracket on your best receiver or doubling your X.

This Red Zone Concept Puts Pressure On the Mike LB To Wall Any Crosser

When you line up in a 3×1 formation in the red zone the first thing you want to check is how are they going to play that single receiver? One on one? Time to go to work then especially if you have your best receiver playing X. We have the X running a red zone fade. You may amend that to what fits you.

If they bracket your X now it’s time to figure out how they are playing those other three. Odds are they may be boxing them with four defenders over three. If so running all of your receivers in the same direction through the box coverage can be an answer. The basic reason to run bracket coverage is to have defenders inside and out. When you run all of your receivers in one direction you can eliminate at least one defender.

This is why we like this red zone levels concept. The most outside defender practically become irrelevant vs this concept. Another thing to know and coach is that the Mike linebacker will likely be walling any short crossers. If the slot receiver can fight across his face it’s 6 points waiting to happen.

Related: Check Out This Quarters Beater With Options

There are a few other details that go along with coaching this Levels red zone concept. You can find them in the coaching points that accompany all of our editable play drawings in FirstDown PlayBook.