Ben Johnson’s Dagger Masterclass

How the Lions Torched Defenses with One Simple Concept

If you want to know what kind of offensive coordinator someone is, look for patterns in their offense.

Not the cool trick play on 2nd and short, or the wide-open boot on 1st and 10.

I’m talking about the third and 6, or the drive starter in a two-minute drill. When you need a completion, what call are they hanging their hat on?

For Ben Johnson and the Detroit Lions, the answer—repeatedly—was some variation of Dagger.

Johnson, now the head coach of the Chicago Bears, has quickly built a reputation as one of the brightest offensive minds in football. But like any good play-caller, he doesn’t just rely on a massive call sheet. Instead, he’s mastered a handful of core concepts and dresses them up with motion, formation, and personnel.

When it came time to dial up a shot, Detroit had no problem repeatedly using the same concept. Dagger became their go-to.

Let’s break it down.

---

Dagger Defined

The Dagger concept is a classic intermediate passing play built to stretch and stress the defense vertically—especially the safeties and underneath zone defenders.

At its core, Dagger is built around two routes:

• The Seam (or Clear) – Run by the inside receiver (often a slot or #2 in trips), this vertical route is designed to clear out the safety. It forces the deep defender to carry the route vertically, creating a one-on-one opportunity underneath.

• The Dig (12–14 yards) – The outside receiver is the true target here. After pushing vertically to sell the fade or go, he speed cuts and works inside across the field. This route lands in the exact window the seam just cleared.

The seam removes the safety. The dig hits in rhythm, often behind a cleared-out middle or a linebacker with no help.

There’s always a third route underneath—usually a shallow cross or a flat route—which provides a check-down and pulls defenders out of that intermediate window. 

Sometimes it’s play-action. Sometimes it’s motion. Sometimes it’s trips. But the core structure stays the same.

Dagger is beautiful because it’s simple, reliable, and versatile.

Dagger + Wide Zone Play-Action

One of their most effective Dagger variations was faking a wide zone away from the Dagger concept.

The linebackers were pulled hard during the run action, especially if the Lions motioned into a tight or bunch look to sell the run.

Detroit would drag a receiver across the formation. That receiver becomes the underneath route in the Dagger structure.

The result:

• A wide-open shallow underneath…

• A middle of the field cleared by the seam and dig…

• And a clean platform for Goff off play-action.

It’s simple, it’s layered, and it plays directly off their core Wide Zone philosophy.