| American football terminology.
Description
A quick slant describes a pass route, pass patterns that incorporate the route, and passing plays that incorporate the route. It is among the simplest pass routes in all of football. The receiver runs hard downfield for three to five yards, cuts to the inside at a 45-degree angle, and should expect the ball to arrive anywhere from one to five yards after he makes his cut. It is important for the receiver to convince the defenders that he will be running a deeper route (thus ensuring that they will be unable to follow the cut quickly) and gain position inside the defenders after he makes the cut (otherwise, the pass will be trivial to intercept).
Purpose and use
This is not designed to be a pass for long yardage. If you call this play and expect to gain more than six yards, you are hopelessly optimistic. You will, if you watch highlight films, see this play going for touchdowns. Do not expect this to be a regular occurrence. A quick slant will, however, eat most forms of zone coverage for lunch. The catch should be made at one of the "seams" between zones. When executed properly, the slant will net you a nearly-automatic five yards against zone coverage. Against man-to-man coverage, the success of the play is dependent on the receiver's ability to get inside position as described above. However, if the receiver is covered properly, it is unlikely that he will be able to run after the catch.
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