The Yankee route combination is a common concept seen in the NFL, especially amongst teams with speed receivers. “Yankee” is generally a two man deep crossing combo, with the underneath receiver running a deep over route, and the other running a deep post over the top. It is most often run with play action and max protection. Yankee is especially effective because of the bind it puts defenses in. Since the concept is used with heavy run formations and only 2 receivers, defenses often respond with a single high safety in either Cover 1 or Cover 3:
Here, the Cowboys have an 8 man box and are playing Cover 1 against Washington’s 12 personnel (2 Tight Ends 1 RB). Note that the receivers are both aligned inside the numbers; Yankee is often run with at least one receiver in a “nasty” or reduced split. Washington is running a play action fake to the right with the Yankee pass concept. The Cowboys linebackers flow hard downhill and bite on the Play Action fake, causing a huge void to open up behind them for Pierre Garçon’s over route.
The single high safety is responsible for deep middle, but comes up to play the over route when the void opens. This allows DeSean Jackson to get behind the deep safety and inside the cornerback, who is expecting help to the middle of the field. The ripple effect of the linebackers biting up leads to a big gain, despite a severely under-thrown ball:
Below, the Yankee concept attacks Cover 3. This time, Washington has a fullback in the backfield that leaks out to the left as a checkdown. The Eagles have two Safeties on the field and the linebackers do a good job of getting depth in their drops after the play action. The deep middle safety doesn’t bite up hard to the over route, but even the slightest hesitation allows DeSean Jackson to get inside and behind everybody. Note how Jackson sets up his route via a “Dino” stem; he breaks to the corner to keep the deep third cornerback off, before breaking back to the post:
While Jackson does an excellent job selling the Dino stem, the Yankee combo can work without it against zone as well. The key is getting behind safeties and inside of cornerbacks, as Brian Tyms does below without a Dino stem. Although he faces double coverage, he gives Tom Brady tons of space to throw to because he beats the entire defense to the middle of the field:
Sammy Watkins is a receiver with elite speed who runs both routes in the Yankee combo. Below, Safety Harrison Smith defends the Yankee combo correctly by staying inside and on top of the route:
As for the deep over route, note that both Washington and Buffalo occasionally slip out a checkdown to the flat. While play action certainly creates downhill flow and a huge void in the zone, the checkdown can also attract the eyes of a defender who is supposed to sink to the over route. Note how the flat defenders dilemma, as well as the void left by the play action:
Miami does a good job staying with the dino stem post, but with the cornerback, safety and linebackers all vacated, Watkins is wide open on the deep over route:
Overall, the Yankee combo is a great concept for teams with a speed receiver and a credible running game. Offenses can dictate an 8-man box by coming out in heavy personnel, and try to attract Safeties eyes to the over route via a reduced “nasty” split. When the secondary doesn’t bite up for the home run throw, a flat checkdown and play action can open up the deep over route as well.
