Route Combinations You Need to Know – Part II

Continuing on with my series on route combinations you need to know.  Today I am going to talk about two popular route combinations in the National Football League (NFL).  One is called ‘Drive’ and the other is called ‘Divide’.  They can be tough on defenses when the wide receiving corps contains speed and solid route runners.

Being able to have a heads up on when these route concepts will be run and or recognizing them as they are being run,  will not only help you avoid getting beat by them but can also put your in position to make a big play for your team.  Let’s dive into the concepts.

| DRIVE |

Who Runs It? 

This route concept is run by pro set as well as spread offenses.  Pairing with play action whether that be out of one or two back sets helps to open up the middle of the defense for any number of the routes converging on that portion of the field.

What is It?

The drive concept typically involves tight splits from the receivers but can be run without them.  The inside receiver will run a dig typically at 12-15 yards and the outside receiver will cut underneath the inside receiver with a shallow cross or short in route.

Where do they run it?

The combo can be run anywhere on the field.  Offenses will run in down in the red zone to get a receiver running inside the back line of the end zone.  Offenses will also run it from the 20 to 20 as it is even more effective when their is space between the shallow and the dig route.

When do they run it?

The drive is a great play action play when the defenses has been piling up defenders near the line of scrimmage.  It is also a good 3rd and medium play as the dig route can be run at the first down marker to grab the exact yardage if the receiver is tackled right away after making the catch.

Why do they run it?

The play is run because it is effective in putting a defender (usually the linebacker) in conflict.  If the offense has been hitting shallow crosses for decent gains then the linebacker will be tempted to be aggressive on the crosser and open up the window for the dig behind him.  Should the safety feel the need to charge up to stop the dig,  a post from the opposite side of the field can become a big play.

How to Spot it?

Pre snap if the inside receiver is on the ball you should smell a rat.  You can definitely be suspicious if the inside receiver on the ball is a big target.  He is on the ball because he needs to get up the field quickly and into the dig window. If both of things above come with reduced splits then you have a pretty good chance of that being the play.  After the ball is snapped,  if you see the outside receiver head quickly underneath the inside receiver then you can reasonable expect that the inside receiver will be pushing off the deep coverage to run that dig.

How to Defend it?

Schematically,  zone blitzes are a good option as they give the illusion of pressure and can speed up the QB’s clock.  This will make him impatient waiting for the dig and dupe him into throwing the shallow and perhaps to a dropping defender in underneath coverage.  Technique-wise,  if you are in zone,  you can stop this play with good communication alerting the appropriate defenders pre-snap and then calling out the routes when they happen.  Linebackers getting depth and not biting the cheese on the shallow route is key.  In man to man,  this route combo is tough.  It was designed to beat man coverage.  However,  staying hard on the dig receiver’s outside shoulder and breaking on his in move will force a the QB to make a good throw.  Hopefully,  you have a low hole player who has taken the right depth. On the crosser,  being aware of the possibility pre-snap because he’s off the ball and in tight helps.  After that,  you gotta just get on your horse and run with the shallow.  Force a good throw by the QB.

| DIVIDE |

Who Runs It?

This concept is basically run spread teams.  It requires 4 and 5 wide receiver sets to be most effective.

What is it?

The Divide concept is run out of a trips formation.  It is a play off of the Smash concept. The outside (# 1 ) receiver runs a hit or short in route.  The (# 2 ) receiver runs a corner route and the ( # 3 ) receiver runs a post or slice route trying to cross the face of the safety.

Where Do They Run It?

With the types of routes that are run in this concept,  clearly it is made for being run out in the field.  The routes are made to stretch the defense and thus are not suited for the red zone too much.  Likewise,  the long development of the routes does not lend itself to being run coming out of the end zone unless the offense is in a desperate situation.

When Do They Run It?

This concept was most famously run in the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and 49ers years ago.  Tyreek Hill was lined up as the # 2 receiver and ended up getting behind the cornerback for a big gain on 3rd and long to extend the drive and lead to the eventual winning score.  It is a good desperation play meaning you have a long 3rd down situation like the Chiefs did or you are in a drive late in the half and need to chew up chunks of yards quickly.

How to Spot It?

Aside from knowing the situation like the ones I just described being the case,  the # 3 receiver being on the ball is a good indication that this play may be coming.  For the play to be effective,  the # 3 receiver has to grab the attention of the near or middle of the field safety rather quickly and force him to make a decision.  The best way to do that is to put him on the ball so he gets deep into the secondary as quickly as possible.

Why Do They Run It

This pass concept is especially tough on a Cover 3 defense especially if no match principles are being used.  The concept puts pressure on a spot drop defense if the protection can hold up long enough for it to do that.  When the proper personnel is used in this concept it can be deadly and effective in long yardage situations as the 49ers found out in Super Bowl LIV.

How to Defend It

Schematically,  if you trust your coverage in the back end then bringing pressure on the quarterback can help as the routes are long developing.  Playing a loose quarters coverage can also put enough defenders deep to be in position to move in on the most dangerous routes of this concept.  Technique wise,  if you are playing zone then communication is key.  This communication is aided by recognizing the potential for the play to be run pre-snap.  Calling out the routes and remaining disciplined in your zone can be a great help in having enough defenders deep to deal with the ever dangerous post / corner combo.  Not much to say when you are in man other than to play your technique,  run like you know how and play to your help.

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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