Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Packer Curls out of Shotgun 5WR Flex Trey shows a five man route concept with no protection help in the backfield, meaning it is a quick strike man and zone beater rather than a play-action or RPO design. The backside receiver runs a vertical release straight upfield off the line (blocking icon in red is actually a stalk or hinge but the route itself is a straight go), while both outside receivers on the trey side push vertical seams into the deep third before settling, and the two inside receivers run curls that break back toward the quarterback at intermediate depth with one working underneath as a delayed drag. The primary read progression starts with the near-side curl breaking into the void, works to the deep vertical seam if the safety bites underneath, and comes back to the shallow crossing route as the checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are sitting at ten yards or shallower they are likely jumping the curl routes and you should audible to the vertical shots on the outside. Watch for a linebacker spying the middle of the field, this play struggles against a hook zone defender who sits right in the curl window and can undercut the break. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the vertical seam routes stacking the corners, so if you see press man alignment expect the deep shots to win. Look for a delayed blitz off the edge, since there is minimal protection depicted, a five or six man rush will collapse the pocket before the curls have time to sit down and separate. Cover 2 shells with hard flat defenders can jump the underneath drag or curl break, so key the flat defender's first two steps to decide whether to climb to the deep vertical instead.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play flourishes because the curls settle right into the intermediate window they leave open.
Hot route the outside vertical to a comeback against press man corners if you see Cover 1 or Cover 3 shells, since the straight go can get squeezed on the sideline versus tight coverage.
Use this on second and medium to third and short distances where the curl depth naturally matches the sticks and forces a conversion decision on linebackers in zone drops.
Pair this with Curl Flats earlier in a drive so the defense starts keying flat coverage rules, then hit the deep curl-to-post window when they overplay the underneath stuff.
Against Cover 3 look to the deep vertical seam runners immediately since the flat defender or curl-hook player often widens late and opens the seam behind him.
