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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Pistol Strong Slot Open shows three vertical routes releasing from the offensive line's frame (two seams and a corner route from the outside receivers) while the offensive line sets up screen blocking in front of the running back. The RB slips out to the flat on the strong side after a delayed fake block, with a lead blocker sneaking out to the perimeter to spring the screen. This is a pure screen pass designed to bait the pass rush and beat aggressive man and blitz looks, with the primary read being the HB screen first, working to the deep vertical routes only if the defense sniffs out the screen and rallies.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check linebacker depth and alignment since screens die against defenses that keep second level players at home instead of crashing the line. Watch for user defenders spying the running back out of the backfield, as a disciplined spy will sit on the screen and force you to your vertical routes instead. Identify blitz packages before the snap since screens are designed to counter pressure, and a heavy blitz with no spy is the ideal look to attack. Post-snap, key on defensive linemen who read screen quickly and drop into passing lanes, since athletic interior linemen can disrupt the timing of the blocking scheme. Beware of zone coverages with linebackers sinking into shallow zones near the flat, since they can jump the screen route and turn it into a negative play or turnover.
Usage Tips
Call this out of obvious passing situations or after showing consistent inside runs from Strong Slot Open to freeze linebackers who are keying run.
Look for defenses bringing extra rushers or playing man coverage with linebackers biting hard downhill, since that opens the alley for the screen.
Use hot routes to convert the backside vertical into a quick out or slant if you see zone coverage sitting underneath, giving you a checkdown away from the screen side.
Sequence this play behind HB Dive or Inside Zone Split earlier in the drive so linebackers start reading run fits and get caught flat footed on the screen action.
Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers at home, since spy defenders or scrape exchange linebackers can blow up the screen before it develops.
