Playbooks
Zone Alert Smoke
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Zone Alert Smoke out of Pistol Weak Slot Open is a quick game man and zone beater built around a bubble screen to the slot receiver. The diagram shows the slot receiver bubbling out to the flat with the outside receiver on that side blocking on the perimeter, while the backside receiver runs a slant into the flat and the other backside receiver breaks off a short hitch. This is a pure quick pass play designed to get the ball out immediately, with the primary read being the bubble screen to the slot if the defense shows soft coverage or a blitz look, and the slant flat combo as the alert read against tighter man coverage.
Defensive Reads
Key the slot corner and any nearby linebacker pre-snap since a soft shell or blitz look tells you the bubble screen is coming. Watch for user-controlled defenders sitting in the flat or shallow zone, as a good user lurk can jump the bubble screen for a big loss. Cover 3 and other zone shells with underneath defenders slow to react are the easiest coverage to exploit with this screen concept. Man coverage with an aggressive slot corner pressing can shut down the bubble but opens the slant flat combo on the backside. If the defense shows a hard edge blitz off the slot, get rid of the ball immediately since the perimeter blocker may not pick up every rusher.
Usage Tips
Throw the bubble screen instantly if you see a corner playing off or a linebacker crashing the line pre-snap because the perimeter blocker will have a numbers advantage.
Use the slant flat combo on the backside as your alert route when the defense shows man coverage or a hard corner blitz toward the bubble side.
This play excels on first and second down in short yardage or when you need a free access throw against aggressive blitz calls.
Pair this with Zone Alert Bubble in the same set to keep defenses guessing between two bubble screen concepts that look identical pre-snap.
Mix in Slants or Y Cross from this set on early downs so defenders start biting on quick game tendencies, opening up the screen even more.
