Gun Tight

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: Zona Seams

Setup:

1. Hot route your running back to block
2. Motion your Y/triangle receiver to the right (make sure he is a fast wr)
3. Slide protect left

Reads:

1. Against cover 2 defenses, look to the A/X tight end deep in the middle of the field
2. Against cover 3 defenses, hit your Y/triangle receiver deep
3. Against cover 4 defenses, hit your Y/triangle receiver deep
4. Against man to man defense, hit your Y/triangle receiver right as he cuts towards the middle of the field.

Overview: This play absolutely destroys any zone defense as long as you have the time to throw the ball and make the right read.  Don’t call this play if you are expecting man to man defense.

Against Cover 2

Against Cover 3

Against Cover 4

Against Man to Man

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: PA Zona Cross

Setup:

1. Put your X/square receiver on an in route
2. Block your running back
3. Motion your Y/triangle receiver to the right

Reads:

1. Against cover 2 defenses, look to your Y/triangle receiver or your B/circle receiver
2. Against cover 3 defenses, your Y/triangle receiver should be wide open. Your X/square receiver is your checkdown option
3. Against cover 4 defenses, your Y/triangle receiver should get open. Your X/square receiver is your checkdown option
4. Against man to man coverage, throw to your Y/triangle receiver

Overview: This play is great because against pretty much any coverage in the game, your Y/triangle receiver will get open.  Just be aware of hard flat zones.  Those will stop the y/triangle route.

Against Cover 2

Against Cover 3

Against Cover 4

Against Man to Man

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: Zona Post

Setup:

1. Hot route the A/X tight end to a streak route
2. Motion the Y/triangle receiver to the left
3. (Optional) Block your running back

Reads:

1. Against cover 2 defenses, look to the B/circle receiver in the shallow middle part of the field
2. Against cover 3 defenses, hit your Y/triangle receiver deep
3. Against cover 4 defenses, hit your Y/triangle receiver deep
4. Against man to man defense, hit your Y/triangle receiver right as he cuts towards the middle of the field or the B/circle receiver.

Overview: This play is very similar to Zona Seams.  It doesn’t beat cover 2 deep as well but the B/circle receiver’s route gets open against most coverages.

Against Cover 2

Against Cover 3

Against Cover 4

Against Man to Man

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: Mesh

Setup:

1. Hot route your Y/triangle receiver to a fade route and motion him to the right
2. Block your running back

Reads:

1. Against cover 2 defense, read between the A/X receiver on the corner route and the X/square receiver on the drag
2. Against cover 3 defense, look to the A/X receiver first but you should have both drag routes as options as well
3. Against cover 4, try to throw it deep to the Y/triangle receiver if he is open.
4. Against man to man coverage, hit one of your receivers on the drag routes

Overview: This is a play where you can take a shot deep if you see if but if not you can hit the drag routes for an a consistent 5 yard gain.

Against Cover 2

Against Cover 3

Against Cover 4

Against Man to Man

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: Zona Z Spot

Setup:

1. Hot route your X/square receiver to a streak route and motion him to the left
2. Hot route your B/circle receiver to a drag route
3. Block your running back

Reads:

1. Against every defense in the game, look to your Y/triangle receiver. If he is covered, your second option is the B/circle receiver on the drag.

Overview: This is a great play for 3^rd and 20 when you really need a first down.  Use this play once or twice a game and it is just about automatic.

Against Cover 2

Against Cover 3

Against Cover 4

Against Man to Man

Playbook: Arizona Cardinals

Formation: Gun Tight

Play: HB Sweep

Setup:

1. Motion your Inside slot receiver on the left side of the screen to the right

Overview: This is a really nice run play against defensive formations focused on stopping the pass.