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The conservative approach is predicated on making shallow reads and working your way over the top. The strength of
this approach is that it encourages making reads in the order in which each route likely develops.
Step 1: Read the Pressure
The Jets are in I-Form Normal TE Corner. The routes in this play emphasize good timing and solid spacing.
The single most important step is to evaluate the pressure on your quarterback. After all, if you are always under
immediate pressure after the snap, it's never going to matter how well you make your other reads. Before the snap, you
may notice a few defenders showing blitz. Your primary objective is to prevent anyone from coming in untouched or
provision a quick-developing route to attack the area left vacant by the blitzing defender. Either way, awareness of the
pressure, regardless of the adjustment you choose to make, will improve your decision making should the pressure
come.
Step 2: Look Underneath
Next, you want to read your underneath patterns; any route that develops quickly. This includes short ins/outs, curls/
hitches, slants, and screens. In our play, the read would be to hit Jets running back Thomas Jones as he moves into the
flats. The running back is an easy read that allows us to get rid of the ball quickly for typically anywhere between a five
to 10 yard gain. This will also give you a good indication as to whether the underneath coverage is in man or zone. If the
shallow route isn't open, the next read will be to attack the areas just behind it. In this particular example, the read
would be the tight end running the corner route at a medium depth. This route develops slower than the flat route,
providing us with an easy transition from one route to the next.
Step 3: Keep the Defense Honest
The next read is to look deep downfield for a potential coverage mismatch or 1-on-1 situations. In our example, this is
the streak route that Jets' Laveranues Coles (with Speed, Possession, and Hands Receiever weapons) is running. While
the streak route takes the longest to completely develop, the ball needs to be thrown well before the route is even close
to completion in order to properly lead your receiver. We recommend having at least one route that stretches the field
vertically on every pass play, even if only to keep the defense honest. Doing so will increase the area that the defense
must defend and keep the safeties from interfering with your other routes.
Step 4: Hit Your Outlet
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