Out Route (American Football Strategy)

An out route (or down and out or jet route) is a pattern run by a receiver in American football. On an out route, the receiver will start running a fly pattern (i.e., running straight down the field toward the end zone) but, after a certain number of steps, will cut hard 90 degrees "to the outside", or toward the sideline, away from the quarterback. If the cut comes very quickly, usually after only a few steps, it is called a "quick out". Out routes generally allow a one-on-one match-up between the receiver and the defensive back who is guarding him, as safeties generally are concerned with helping out on long routes downfield or the center of the field.

This route is used much more frequently near the end of each half or , when a team is running their two-minute drill to preserve time on the clock, because, as soon as the receiver catches the ball or after a short run after the catch, he should be able to get out of bounds, stopping the clock. It is a quick execution play; if the ball is thrown correctly usually a defensive player can't respond quickly enough to interfere. It is also often called in a 3rd-down situation where the full ten yards are needed. Out and in routes are the most difficult routes to cover in man-to-man coverage, but can be dangerous plays to run because, if the defender intercepts the pass, he will often have a clear path to the end zone.

SPORTS

American Football

Game play in American football consists of a series of downs, individual plays of short duration, outside of which the ball is dead or not in play. These can be plays from scrimmage – passes, runs, punts, or field goal attempts (from either a place kick or a drop kick) – or free kicks such as kickoffs and fair catch kicks. Substitutions can be made between downs, which allows for a great deal of specialization as coaches choose the players best suited for each particular situation. During a play, each team should have no more than 11 players on the field, and each of them has specific tasks assigned for that specific play.