Pats Sail was one of the more popular plays out of the Patriots playbook the last several years, until EA made the dumb decision to nerf it! It is still a really great play, if you utilize it properly. When I run it, I always tend to use pocket passing quarterbacks, like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady in MUT. I like these 2 QBs because they both have Hot Route Master, which is crucial to running Pats Sail more efficiently.
Hot Route Master gives all your receivers additional Hot Routes. If your QB doesn't have Hot Route Master, you can utilize X-Factors/Abilities on your WR such as Outside WR Apprentice, Slot WR Apprentice, or TE Apprentice.
Most of the setups below require Hot Routes that you will not get without any of the above mentioned abilities. I do show one or two setups that you can utilize without any abilities, but I don't feel those plays are as effective.
Pats Sail Setup 1:
- In Route single-side WR, then Smart Route him
- Put Slot WR (Bunch side) on Corner Route
- Streak Outside WR (Bunch side)
- Max protect with TE and HB for extra blocking
- You can also put HB/TE on release routes so they block, but you can release them if you need a check down.
Pats Sail Setup 2:
- Put Outside WR (Bunch side) on a Flat Route
- Put TE on a Corner Route
- Put Dorsett on an In Route, then Smart Route him
- Motion your HB over to right, then put him on Wheel Route
Pats Sail Setup 3:
- Max Protect
- Put Outside WR (Bunch side) on Cross Route
- Motion in single-side WR, put on a Cross Route, motion back
- Max Protect
- Put Outside WR (Bunch side) on a Hitch Route
- Put single-side WR on an In Route, then Smart Route him
- Motion Hitched WR from Right to the Left, and Hike the ball while in motion
Pats Sail Setup 5:
- Motion your Outside single-side WR in; put him on a Cross Route, then motion him back to his original position on the field.
- Put the Bunch side WR on a drag or slant
- Max protect
- You can also put HB/TE on Release Routes
Pats Sail Setup 6:
- Put TE on a Drag Route
- Put Outside WR (Bunch side) on a Drag Route
- Pass Block with your HB
- Put Outside WR single-side on an In Route and Smart Route him
- Motion Outside WR (Bunch side) over to the left and snap while in motion, past the LT
Pats Sail Setup 7:
- Pass block HB
- Motion single-side WR in and put on Cross Route, motion him back out
- Motion snap Outside WR (Bunch side) out to the Right
