Coaching Football NFL & College Pass concepts #4 - 4 verticals, 4 vert

Mar 10, 2024

This article will look at 4 verticals and the way the concept is run at the NFL level. 4 vertical concept is very popular in both the pro game and college game.

The route concepts are as follows:

The outside routes are simple. The outside WR releases outside and if the CB is trying to fight outside and maintain leverage its cover 2 and the WR will run a go route. Any other type of coverage (c 3, ,press bail, man to man, he will run a stop route) Some teams will allow the outside wr to run go routes if they think the WR has beaten the cb but I don’t like that option as it leads to many interceptions.

The inside wr will run a seam route unless they read cover 2/4 or as it is explained to the WR the safety is off/outside then they will run the bender concept. They will flatten out and bend the route in vs 2/4.

If the safety is middle of the field or the WR is not capped, the slot or TE will run a vertical down the seam. This is the other option for the inside route.

Lastly, the rb runs a balloon route over the football which is a 3 way go. He can stop, break in or break out depending on leverage and whether he gets zone or man coverage. This is often the checkdown for the QB if he doesn’t like what he gets downfield.

The Rb runs a balloon route concept where the rb can sit it down or break it in or out.

Now that we discussed the routes, lets talk about the qb reads

cover 1/3 carry-stop route (best leverage and matchup favoring the boundary, not open look for the RB on the balloon route

cover 2- work the 2 on 1 fast break at the safety, bender to the go route off of the free safety. Work off the mike to the bender opposite, reset to the balloon route

cover 3- seams off the free safety to the balloon route

cover 4-stop route to the rb on the balloon route

cover 6/8 -work your cover 4/2 rules and work the cover 4 side, stop route to the balloon by the rb

cover 2 man- run the stop route best leverage matchup(preferably the boundary) to the balloon route by the RB

Below gives some examples of the reads discussed above:

vs cover 1 or 3 carry

Whether it is cover 3 or cover 1 the same rules will apply. The outside WR will run the stop route in those situations.

THe CB are off so they have the stop routes on the outside. Easy read for the WR #1

Easy completion to the bottom of the screen.

Another example as they get off coverage in cover 3

Some more cover 3 clips

Cover 1

As stated above, the wr will have a stop route unless it;s a cover 2 read by the wr. SO below, with press man, it’s a stop route. Some people will allow the WR to run if he beats him but I don’t like to put that uncertainty in the eyes of the QB.

Here are a few cover 1 clips. You can see the comeback on the outside.

Cover 2

The Eagles run it vs the Colts. The Mike opens and they are able to hit the bender route off the mike LB.

The wr on the bottom runs a comeback because the cb opened and dropped. The WR #! runs a go route because the CB flattend.

The mike opens and the QB throws the bender off which way he opens.

Purdue runs cover 2 from empty. The QB reads the mike and hits the bender to the other side. The RB holds the mike with the over the ball sit route. The mike opens and the inside wr runs the bender. The QB throws off which direction the mike opens. Nice read by the QB

Cover 2 Example #3 Eagles

Outside WR runs goes vs cover 2 as the cb flattens

Nice completion off the Mike LB

2 more video clips of the bender vs cover 2

Example #4

As you can see below the qb reads the bender off the drop of the mike lb.

nice completion

Cover 2 go route

In the next example the safety jumps the #2 WR and leaves the CB on an island. WR always runs a go when he reads cover 2. The CB works outside and zone turns which makes it an easy read.