Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Flood Post is a trips-based passing concept out of Pistol Trips Left Open that overloads one side of the field with three routes stacked at different depths. The Z receiver runs a deep post crossing the field from the boundary, the slot runs a corner route breaking to the sideline, and the outside trips receiver runs a shallow out, while the backside X receiver runs a deep comeback to the opposite sideline for a single-read outlet. This is a zone beater designed to stress Cover 3 and Cover 2 shells by flooding three levels to one side, with the QB progression reading corner to post to shallow out, and the backside comeback as the answer if the defense rolls coverage to the trips side.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check for a single-high safety since that alignment forces the deep third defender to choose between the post and the corner route, creating a natural conflict. Watch the flow of the Mike linebacker after the snap, because if he widens to cover the shallow out, the post route has a clean throwing lane behind him. Cover 3 defenses with a hard-sinking corner on the slot receiver are the most vulnerable, since the post threatens the deep middle third the moment that corner peels off to the flood side. Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can shut this down if the safety over the post stays disciplined and doesn't bite on the corner route fake. User-controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow out or flat zone can jump the underdneath route, so if you see a defender sitting low and reading the quarterback's eyes, look off that side before committing to the post or comeback.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the safety is showing single-high or two-high, since Flood Post is built to punish single-high Cover 3 looks where the deep post can split the seams. If the corner over the slot sinks hard to cover the corner route, the post window behind him opens up for an explosive gain. Hot route the shallow out into a quick hitter against Cover 4 shells if you need a safety valve versus soft zone drops. Use this play on second or third and medium situations where the defense expects a shorter concept, since the deep post and comeback combo can catch zone defenders cheating underneath. Pair this with HB Dive or Close HB Dive earlier in a series to set up run fits, then hit Flood Post off the same personnel look when the defense starts creeping linebackers into the box.
