Playbooks
Breakdown
Curl Drag out of the Slot Far formation shows a two receiver route combo to the play side with a curl route sitting down at the sticks while the inside receiver runs a drag underneath across the field. The backside receiver runs a vertical seam up the numbers as a clear out or shot option, and both running backs release from the backfield on wheel style routes up the sidelines, giving the quarterback five total options. This is a zone beater at its core, using the curl to sit in the soft spot of a zone and the drag as a natural checkdown against underneath coverage, with the primary read starting at the curl, working down to the drag, and checking the running back wheels if the defense rolls coverage to the trips side.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they drop shallow and wide they are keying the drag route and will jump the throwing lane. Key the flat defenders on the play side, if a corner or linebacker sinks into the curl window early this play is dead and you should check down to the running back wheel. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells pre-snap since the deep zones leave the curl and drag windows open, this is where this play shines the most. Look for a user controlled defender spying the middle of the field, a rover or lurking linebacker can undercut the drag route if the quarterback holds the ball too long. Against Cover 2 Man or aggressive man blitz packages, the curl and drag combo struggles because underneath defenders can trail with no zone help, so lean on the running back wheel routes as the answer.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium to long when defenses are likely to sit in zone coverage and give you the soft spot behind the linebackers for the curl route.
Read the safeties before the snap: if you see two high safeties, expect zone drops underneath, which sets up the curl and drag combo perfectly.
If the defense shows man coverage with a corner shaded outside on the curl receiver, work the drag route immediately since it beats trail technique with quick separation.
Hot route the backside vertical receiver into a shorter option like a slant if you see single high man coverage rolled hard to the trips side, this keeps the play balanced against man beaters.
Pair this play with Double Slant or WR Attack from the same Far Slot set to keep the defense guessing between quick game concepts and this intermediate zone beater, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their drops.
