Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Deep Curls out of Pistol Weak Slot Open sends four receivers vertical with three of them settling into curl routes at different depths while the boundary X runs a vertical seam up the numbers. The lone in-line blocker and the offset back combine on a check release swing/screen action underneath, giving you a built in outlet if the curls are covered. This is a zone beater at its core since the staggered curl depths create natural passing lane windows against Cover 3 and Cover 2 zone drops, and the primary read progression starts with the vertical seam (route 1) before working down to the deepest curl, then the intermediate curl, and finally the underneath check release.
Defensive Reads
Read the linebacker depth at the snap: if they sink hard into the curl zones without respecting the flat, throw the check release swing for an easy gain. Watch for a user controlled safety sitting in the deep middle third, this is the biggest threat to the seam route and can bait an interception if you force it late. Identify Cover 3 by the single high safety and three deep defenders rotating away from the trips side, this leaves the intermediate curl wide open against the flowing linebacker. Man coverage with no help over the top on the seam receiver is a green light to take the shot early since the route stresses vertical leverage immediately. Zone blitz packages that bring five rushers and drop a defensive lineman into the shallow curl zone can clog the underneath read, so be ready to climb the ladder to the deeper curls quickly.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and long or third and medium when the defense is sitting in a zone shell since the staggered curl depths sit in the soft spots between underneath and deep zone defenders.
Check the pre-snap safety alignment: if you see two high safeties holding depth, expect Cover 2 or Cover 4 and prioritize the seam route on the number 1 receiver before the defense can rotate.
If the corner over your seam route is playing tight man with no safety help over the top, hot route that receiver into a fade or throw it early on time before the curl breaks settle.
Pair this play with Z Under or Mtn Z Under earlier in a drive so the defense starts keying underneath crossers, then hit them with Deep Curls to attack the vacated intermediate zones.
Against aggressive user blitzers, use the check release swing as your answer since it gets the ball out quick and forces a missed tackle attempt in space.
