Playbooks
Breakdown
RNS Curl Flat is a quick-hitting zone beater out of Pistol Spread 10 personnel. The backside receiver runs a vertical clear-out, the slot receiver breaks off a curl at intermediate depth, the tight end or slot works a shallow flat route underneath, and the outside receiver to the right runs a streak on the number one route. The concept forms a natural curl-flat combo to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone drops, with the primary read progression going flat first for the checkdown then curl if the flat defender sinks, working backside to the streak only if the safety bites hard on the curl.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and corner alignment to determine if this is a two high shell (Cover 2 or Cover 4) or single high shell (Cover 3). User the flat defender or nickel defender since a jump on the flat route takes away the easy checkdown and forces the quarterback to work the curl into a tighter window. Watch for a linebacker blitz off the edge since the underdirected pass concept has no screen or hot protection tag shown, so a fast four man rush can disrupt the timing. Spy the curl defender depth, if he sits shallow and jumps the flat, the quarterback should hit the curl behind him, so user players should stay disciplined and not overcommit. This concept struggles against man coverage with a deep half safety since there is no natural man beater route breaking away from tight coverage, so Cover 1 or Cover 4 with press corners can shut it down.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense shows two deep safeties or a single high safety before the snap since this concept is built to exploit the flat defender and curl defender in Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells.
If the corner sits low in the flat, hit the curl route sitting down in the void behind him for an easy completion.
Use the streak on the number one route as a hot route trigger against Cover 3 if you see the corner playing off and the safety cheat to the curl side.
Pair this play with RNS Streak or Four Verticals in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect the deep shot before you come back to this underneath zone beater.
Best used on third and short to third and medium where the flat and curl combo gives you two easy completion windows against zone shells.
