Levels
Two-level horizontal stretch that splits linebacker zones
- Read #1
- Reads 2+
- Checkdown
- Telestrator
Levels places two receivers on the same side of the field at different depths, typically a dig or in route at 12-15 yards and a shallow cross at 5-6 yards. This creates a horizontal and vertical stretch on the underneath zone defenders, forcing them to choose a level while leaving the other open. Levels is a zone high-low that puts one hook-to-curl defender in a bind, so it shines when the middle is light or vacated, most notably Tampa 2. Against four-under shells like Cover 3 — or a quarters look where the safety drives the dig — a different defender sits on each level and the windows tighten. Coaches love it for its simplicity, reliability, and adaptability to almost any formation or personnel grouping.
Reads
5 ROUTESTap a route to trace it on the field.
Read progression
Read the hook-to-curl defender: if he drops with the dig, throw the shallow cross underneath. If he sits on the shallow, throw the dig over the top. Check the out route or flat if the concept is covered.
Why it works
Underneath zone defenders are responsible for a range of depths. By placing two receivers at different levels in the same zone, the concept creates an impossible coverage assignment. The defender cannot cover both the dig and the shallow simultaneously, so one is always open.
Conflict defender
The underneath LB, if he drops to cover the deep dig, the short in is open; if he sits on the in, the dig has a window
Play-action pairings
- Power · Power/counter action with pulling guard sells run and freezes LBs
Origin
Peyton Manning and OC Tom Moore made this their signature with the Colts. Manning used the terminology "Dig" (Levels) and "Dag" (corner variant).
Levels vs coverages
10 RATED- Tampa 2Edge
The Tampa 2 MIKE bails to the deep middle to carry the vertical, vacating the exact intermediate window the dig settles into behind the curl defenders.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. MIKE linebacker (middle-third zone)
Why the offense wins. The Tampa 2 MIKE bails to the deep middle to carry the vertical, vacating the exact intermediate window the dig settles into behind the curl defenders.
Why the defense wins. A rangy MIKE who reads it early can sink and squeeze the dig, but he is running away from it first.
Key adjustment. Have the MIKE read the dig and sink under it on his way to depth; the OLBs squeeze the shallow.
- Cover 0Toss-up
Cover 0 brings extra rushers, the dig timing is borderline and the shallow becomes the only real option.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. MIKE linebacker in man coverage
Why the offense wins. The shallow gets a quick out vs the blitz, the dig can hit if the QB has a beat.
Why the defense wins. Cover 0 brings extra rushers, the dig timing is borderline and the shallow becomes the only real option.
Key adjustment. Bring the pressure; the dig timing is borderline and the shallow is the only throw.
- Cover 1Toss-up
Man defenders can match levels if they stay attached in the crossing traffic.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. MIKE linebacker in man coverage
Why the offense wins. There is no zone defender to hi-lo vs man — the win is the dig itself: with the vertical holding the FS in the deep middle, the dig breaks in on a trailing corner with no inside help while the shallow drags its man through the wash underneath.
Why the defense wins. Man defenders can match levels if they stay attached in the crossing traffic.
Key adjustment. Trail the dig with inside leverage and let the FS drive on the in-breaker; the shallow's defender stays attached through traffic.
- Cover 2Toss-up
Five underneath defenders can squeeze the two-level read with disciplined zone drops.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. MIKE linebacker (hook zone)
Why the offense wins. The dig finds the window between the hook and deep-half zones.
Why the defense wins. Five underneath defenders can squeeze the two-level read with disciplined zone drops.
Key adjustment. Have the hook linebacker sink under the dig; the half safety squeezes down on it.
- Cover 3Toss-up
A matched Cover 3 keeps four defenders underneath and passes the levels off cleanly: the shallow runs into the WILL zone and the dig sits in the MIKE/curl window with the free safety capping it over the top.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. WILL linebacker (hook zone)
Why the offense wins. Against spot-drop Cover 3 the dig settles in the window behind the hook defenders and in front of the deep-middle third, the exact soft spot a zone high-low is built to find.
Why the defense wins. A matched Cover 3 keeps four defenders underneath and passes the levels off cleanly: the shallow runs into the WILL zone and the dig sits in the MIKE/curl window with the free safety capping it over the top.
Key adjustment. Have the WILL take the shallow and the MIKE sit in the dig window; the FS caps the dig over the top.
- Cover 4Toss-up
The quarters safety keys the in-breaking dig and drives it at the break while the linebackers rally to the shallow — the intermediate window closes fast.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Inside linebacker (hook zone)
Why the offense wins. Quarters keeps only three underneath defenders, so the shallow has room to run after the catch, and the dig can hit on rhythm before the safety drives it.
Why the defense wins. The quarters safety keys the in-breaking dig and drives it at the break while the linebackers rally to the shallow — the intermediate window closes fast.
Key adjustment. Have the safety drive the dig as his #2 in-breaker and the linebackers rally to the shallow.
- Cover 6Toss-up
Cover 6 has plenty of underneath defenders to cover the levels stretch.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Inside linebacker (hook zone)
Why the offense wins. The dig sits between the two coverage shells at the boundary-field hash.
Why the defense wins. Cover 6 has plenty of underneath defenders to cover the levels stretch.
Key adjustment. Have the MIKE sink to the dig's depth; the quarters safety drives it as an in-breaker.
- Cover 2 ManToss-up
Man defenders can trail Levels routes without zone holes to exploit.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. MIKE in man coverage
Why the offense wins. In-breakers are tough on trail man — the dig can snap across the MIKE's face at the break point, and the shallow can flat-out outrun a linebacker across the formation.
Why the defense wins. Man defenders can trail Levels routes without zone holes to exploit.
Key adjustment. Reroute the dig runner to disrupt the high-low timing.
- BracketToss-up
If the dig runner is bracketed, the high-low is over.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Bracket defender
Why the offense wins. The high-low works if the dig runner isn't the bracketed receiver.
Why the defense wins. If the dig runner is bracketed, the high-low is over.
Key adjustment. Set the bracket on the dig runner so the high-low is doubled.
- Palms / ClampTough
The dig reads as #2 vertical, so palms checks to quarters — the safety man-matches the dig while the CB carries the go, and the backside shallow gets passed to the linebackers.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Palms-side safety
Why the defense wins. The dig reads as #2 vertical, so palms checks to quarters — the safety man-matches the dig while the CB carries the go, and the backside shallow gets passed to the linebackers. No underneath defender ends up in the two-level bind.
Key adjustment. Have the safety match the dig as #2 vertical and pass the shallow to the linebackers.