Smash vs Cover-2
Smash vs Cover-2 is the textbook hi-lo. The corner can't cover both routes. Here's the read.
Smash vs. cover-2 is the textbook hi-lo. The cover-2 corner has flat responsibility AND deep half help — but the smash hits both. He can't take the corner route and the hitch.
From the offense
The QB reads the corner. If the corner sinks (deep), throw the hitch. If the corner squats (low), throw the corner route over his head.
The corner route should hit at 12-15 yards. The hitch at 5-6. The window is wide and the read is clean.
The variant that crushes is smash with a wheel from the back — now you've got hi-lo-out. Three options for one corner; he loses every time.
From the defense
Cover-2 vs. smash is a structural loss. The fix is a cloud rotation: the safety rolls down to take the corner route, and the corner is freed up to take the hitch. But that breaks the cover-2 shell and gives up the deep middle.
The other answer is just to not play cover-2 vs. smash. If you suspect smash on the call sheet, palms or cover-3 cloud are better fits.
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