Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen from Pistol Trips is a designed screen pass that slips the running back out to the flat behind a wall of blockers while three trips receivers push vertically to clear out underneath defenders and hold the deep coverage. The offensive line and TE sell pass protection for a beat before releasing to lead block, giving the back a clean lane to the flat with blockers stacked in front. This is a zone beater and blitz beater, designed to punish teams that drop into coverage or bring pressure up the middle, and the primary read is simply getting the ball to the HB in the flat immediately off the catch, letting blocks develop in space.
Defensive Reads
Key the defensive line and linebacker eyes at the snap, if they crash upfield hard on what looks like a passing set, that is the screen tell you want to jump. Spy or user control an inside linebacker and keep him home instead of rushing, this single defender can blow up the screen before the blockers get set. Watch for a defensive end or edge rusher who reads screen and stays home in the passing lane, this is the most common way this play gets shut down. Against man coverage this play loses value since man defenders will trail the HB out of the backfield instead of dropping into space, so respect the RB rush lanes. If the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 with linebackers sitting short, get a user defender to lurk in the flat immediately since that is the exact area this concept targets.
Usage Tips
Call this against zone shells and blitz-heavy defenses since the delayed release from the line and the vertical clear-outs from the trips side neutralize both zone drops and interior pressure.
Snap the ball and get the throw out early, this is a timing based screen so do not hold onto the ball waiting for blocks to fully set up.
Watch the trips side pre-snap, if you see a nano blitz or heavy commitment to that side, the natural bubble that opens on the play side flat becomes even easier to hit.
Pair this with HB Draw and HB Dive from the same personnel group to keep defenders honest on early downs, then dial up the slip screen once the defense starts crashing hard on inside run action.
Best used on early downs or after establishing the run, since defenses sitting back expecting a shot play or vertical route from trips will get caught flat footed by the screen.
