Playbooks

Fl Drive

Pistol·Strong·21

Drive Pass Play Cover 4 Beater

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetStrong

Personnel

212 RB · 1 TE · 2 WR

In 1 playbook

Fix OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Fl Drive out of Pistol Strong is a classic Drive concept pass play built to attack Cover 4 and other zone shells with crossing routes at two levels. The flanker and a second receiver run drive routes that cross the field at different depths (a short in-cut underneath and a deeper crosser), while the tight end and backs provide check release protection and a shallow flare option. This is primarily a zone beater thanks to the natural picks created by the crossing routes, though it holds up against man coverage too if the underneath crosser can create separation off the rub. The primary read progression starts with the deep crosser working from the initial side of the drive concept, then works down to the shallow in-cut, and finally checks down to the flare or drag underneath if both levels are covered.

Defensive Reads

Presnap, look at safety depth, if both safeties are sitting shallow at ten to twelve yards this usually signals Cover 4 and confirms the crossing routes will have room to work underneath the deep zone drops. Post snap, watch the middle linebacker or nickel defender for a lurk technique, a sitting defender in the shallow crossing lane can jump the underin route and bait a turnover if you force the throw. Man coverage with no help over the top is where this play struggles most since the picks created by the crossers get taken away by tight technique corners running with their assignment, check the flare or check down instead of forcing the crosser. Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone drops with fast flowing linebackers can undercut the shallow route, in these situations key on the deep crosser clearing the intermediate zone before committing to a throw. Blitz heavy fronts with man coverage behind them are the biggest threat to this play, if you see a nano blitz look presnap get to your hot route or check the flare immediately since the crossers take too long to develop against extra rushers.

Usage Tips

Presnap, identify if the defense is showing a two-high shell because Cover 4 defenders will often widen their alignment to take away the vertical shot, which opens up the shallow drive route underneath.

Use motion or a quick flick to the flare control to see if the defense shifts, this can reveal man versus zone before the snap.

Hot route the backside receiver into a quick out or hitch if you are getting blitzed frequently, this gives you a fast answer against nano blitzes without needing to hold the ball.

This play works best on second and medium to second and long since the crossing routes need a beat to develop, avoid calling it in obvious third and short situations where a quicker hitting concept is better.

Pair Fl Drive with HB Power or HB Zone from the same Strong Pistol set to keep the defense honest, the run action forces linebackers to bite downhill which opens more room for the shallow crosser on drive concepts called later in the series.

Sequence this play after Slants or Spacing so defenders start jumping short zone drops, then hit the deeper crosser on Fl Drive for an explosive gain over the top of a cheating linebacker.