In the Passing Game, 4 is the Magic Number

One of the best ways to attack a defense through the air is with 4 receivers to one side of the field. That can either mean starting with a 4-strong formation or finding ways to get 4 routes to one side.

The approach itself can have a number of effects. It can force the defense into more predictable coverages. It can create advantageous 1-on-1 matchups. It can more easily put defenders in conflict or flat out create chaos leading to busted coverages.

Below are some of the best examples we’ve seen in recent seasons.

Let’s start with an example from Andy Reid and the Chiefs (of course). This was Kansas City’s first offensive play of their 2023 Week 9 game against the Dolphins. They initially aligned with 4 receivers to one side of the formation:

However, the design would ultimately get 4 routes to the other side of the field.

First, wide receiver Justin Watson motioned across the formation right before the snap. Dolphins linebackers would kick over and the safety to that side would drop down. This was zone coverage (cover-3):

That’s exactly what the Chiefs were hoping to see against a route concept that would get 4 receivers to one side of the field.

Watson would run a post off of his motion and Rashee Rice would run a hitch-and-go. The combination looked somewhat like a post-wheel to the defense:

With running back Isiah Pacheco releasing to the flat, the 3 defenders to that side of the field would be occupied:

The other element to this play was that Patrick Mahomes would boot to the right off of play-action and the left guard would pull with him. That got 4 Dolphins defenders to either move or stay to the offense’s right:

Marquez Valdes-Scantling would run a drag-wheel route from the field side of the formation. With the Dolphins defense parted down the middle, his slow-developing route would sneak perfectly into the seam on the left where there was no one to account for him:

The result was a 21-yard completion to kick-start a Chiefs touchdown drive:

From the end zone angle, you can see how the play-action, boot, and pulling guard all forced the defensive line to move sideways. The result was a ton of time and space to throw:

This is Andy Reid at his best - sneaking a receiver across the field to get 4 routes to one side combined with play-action to influence any defenders who would have been able to impact the play.

He gives us something new every week.

Interested in getting access to 60+ breakdowns just like this, organized by concept? Get a Founding Members Subscription and you can with our Playbook

This next play comes to you courtesy of Shane Steichen during the 2022 season when he was the Eagles Offensive Coordinator. In similar fashion to the play above, he found a way to get a 4th route to one side of the field against an unsuspecting defense.

Philly started off in a closed 2x2 formation with the running back offset to the left, creating a 3-receiver side. The route combination is illustrated here:

The Texans would play cover-3. To the 3-receiver side, they would match up to the routes as shown below:

The cornerback to that side locked onto the curl thinking it was the only vertical threat that could attack his deep-third zone. He didn’t see the 4th receiver in the combination (A.J. Brown) running a deep-over route from the other side of the field: