---
title: "Slant Concept Explained: Slant and Diagonal"
description: "The slant concept pairs a quick slant with a diagonal to the flat (often called slant-flat). How this quick-game staple is built, what it beats and the read."
url: https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/concepts/slant/
---

passing concept

# Slant Concept

The slant concept pairs a quick slant with a diagonal to the flat, a combination many playbooks call slant-flat. It is a three-step concept that gets the ball out fast and puts the flat defender in conflict.

![Slant passing concept diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/concepts/slant.webp)

## How the Slant Concept Is Built

In Crucible's Slant, the outside receiver breaks inside at 4 yards while an inside receiver runs a diagonal to the flat, crossing the same defender's area in opposite directions.

## What It Beats

- Off coverage and soft corners.
- Blitzes, as a quick hot read.
- Cover 3 and other MFC (one-high) zones, whose Curl/Flat defender cannot cover both the slant window and the flat.

## How the QB Reads It

Read the flat defender. Throw the slant behind a defender who runs with the flat, and the flat when the defender steps inside to wall the slant, with the back as the outlet. In Crucible's Slant Tosser, Option Slant and Stick Slant, the slant side is the answer to one high; against two-high looks you work the other half of the play.

## The Routes in Slant

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![Diagonal diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/routes/diagonal.thumb.webp)

Diagonal

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![Slant diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/routes/slant.thumb.webp)

Slant

## Rep Slant Against These Coverages

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![Cover 2 Tampa diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-2-tampa.thumb.webp)

Cover 2 Tampa 31 plays to rep against
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![Cover 1 diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-1.thumb.webp)

Cover 1 31 plays to rep against
-

![Cover 3 diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-3.thumb.webp)

Cover 3 31 plays to rep against
-

![Cover 4 diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-4.thumb.webp)

Cover 4 31 plays to rep against
-

![Cover 6 diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-6.thumb.webp)

Cover 6 31 plays to rep against
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![Cover 3 Buzz diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-3-buzz.thumb.webp)

Cover 3 Buzz 31 plays to rep against
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![Cover 3 Weak Buzz diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-3-weak-buzz.thumb.webp)

Cover 3 Weak Buzz 31 plays to rep against
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![Cover 5 diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/coverages/cover-5.thumb.webp)

Cover 5 31 plays to rep against

+ 2 more in Crucible

## Slant Plays in Crucible

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![Option Slant diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/plays/option-slant.thumb.webp)

Option Slant

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![Slant Tosser diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/plays/slant-tosser.thumb.webp)

Slant Tosser

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![Stick Slant diagram](https://www.crucibletech.com/playbook/img/football_11v11/plays/stick-slant.thumb.webp)

Stick Slant

## Related routes

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Slant

Rep Slant in Crucible
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