Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
Flood from Pistol Bunch TE is a classic three level flood concept built to attack Cover 3 and other zone shells. Out of the bunch, one receiver clears deep on a vertical, a second breaks to a deep out, and the TE runs a short out underneath while the backside receiver runs a deep crossing route. The HB releases out of the backfield on a flat route to complete the flood to that side, giving the quarterback a clean high low low read against a single zone defender.
Defensive Reads
Watch pre-snap safety depth, a single high safety cheating to the flood side is a big indicator of Cover 3 and this concept should gash it. If the cornerback squats on the short out route, the vertical route behind him is wide open for a big gain, so track deep safety help before pulling the trigger there. Zone defenses that leave a linebacker responsible for both the flat and the short out get stressed hard, if you see a linebacker running with the TE, the HB flat route is uncovered. Man coverage with no help over the top can be countered by the deep crossing route working away from traffic. Watch for a lurking defender sitting in the shallow flat to jump the HB route, if the user pulls that defender underneath early, go to the deep out or vertical instead.
Usage Tips
Read the flat defender first since the HB flat route and TE out route both attack the same underneath zone, whichever one is uncovered is your quick throw. If the corner sinks with the deep out, look immediately for the vertical clearing route behind him for the explosive shot play. Use this on second and medium to long when you expect zone coverage, since the deep crosser and vertical stretch a single high safety hard. Pair this with Cross Drag and Stick from the same set so defenders keying flood concepts get confused by shorter, quicker breaking routes. Motion or shift pre-snap to see if the defense adjusts to the bunch, if a linebacker widens out to the flat area, take that as confirmation to hit the deep out or vertical instead.
