Dagger
Dagger is one of the best passing concepts in football and can be run against a multitude of coverages. There are several versions of it as well as many ways to dress it up. In this breakdown, I’ll show you a few creative examples from the 2023 season.
The play design is simple. It includes a clear-out route to knock the top off the defense and then puts a second-level defender into a high-low conflict between a deep-in and a shallow route. Below, you can see the concept illustrated:
You’ll notice that the underneath route is coming from the backfield here. But that route can come from anywhere. Often, it’s a shallow crosser from the other side of the formation.
The Bears defense was in quarters coverage on this play, so the safety to the side of the Dagger was responsible for the #2 vertical (the clear-out). That was a post on this play, but it’s often a go-route. Either way, it removed the safety:
That left the dig and shallow route out of the backfield. The curl-flat defender would bite underneath, and a huge void was created for the dig:
The Buccaneers also used play-action here. That’s a common approach with Dagger for a couple of reasons. First, it can hold the underneath coverage for just a split second longer, ensuring there will be a window for the dig:
Second, the routes need time to develop, and play-action can help freeze the pass rush. The Bucs even threw in an extra element here by having tight end Cade Otton (who would become the underneath route in the concept) chip the defensive tackle first. That helped provide more time and space for Baker Mayfield to drive the ball downfield:
Great design and execution all around.
This next example would come courtesy of Sean McVay and the Rams offense against a Tampa-2 look, which is a coverage that is just begging to be broken down by Dagger. Except on this play, there were some additional wrinkles added to keep the defense from recognizing the route combination.
First, notice how the motion by Puka Nacua before the snap would get the Saints to spin out into Tampa-2: