Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curl Flat out of Near Y Left Slot (21 personnel) shows a five man protection with both backs releasing to the flats on option routes while the three receivers work vertical to intermediate breaks. The X receiver runs a deep post-corner style go route up the sideline, the slot Y runs a curl that sits down around 12-15 yards, and the flanker (marked with the red 1) is your primary hot read on a shallow flat/curl combo underneath. This is a zone beater built around the curl flat combo to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by settling the curl in the hole and using the flat routes to stretch the underneath defenders horizontally, with the deep outside route acting as a clear-out. Primary progression is flat to curl to the deep shot route if a coverage bust or single-high look presents a one-on-one down the field.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first: if he widens with the running back release, the window for the curl route sitting down at 12-15 yards opens up immediately. Check linebacker depth at the snap, since shallow zone drops from Cover 2 or Cover 3 linebackers signal the curl will be contested and you should progress to the flat instead. Watch for a user controlled defender sinking into the deep middle or lurking the curl route, which is the most common way good competitive opponents shut this concept down. Identify single-high safety looks pre-snap, since Cover 3 leaves the flat and curl combo wide open underneath but also invites a robber defender to jump the curl if the QB stares it down. Against Cover 4 or press man, the deep outside route can win one-on-one if the defense sells out to stop the underneath combo, so keep an eye on the corner's leverage before checking down.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the safeties to confirm two-high versus one-high before the snap, since this concept thrives against Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone shells.
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the slot, hot route the curl into a dig or speed out to create separation instead of sitting in a crowded zone.
Target the flat route (the number 1 read) on quick three step drops when facing a blitz look, since the backs releasing outside give you a built in hot route against pressure.
Sequence this play after running HB Inside or FB Dive from the same Near Y Left Slot set to get linebackers cheating downhill, which opens the curl window even wider on play action counters like PA Read Special.
Best called on second and medium to third and long where the defense is more likely to sit in zone drops rather than crash the box, letting the curl sit down in the soft spot of Cover 3.
