Playbooks
Breakdown
Strong Flood is a trips-side flood concept out of Shotgun 5WR Flex Trey that stacks three routes at three distinct depths to overload one side of the field. The outside receiver runs a vertical seam up the numbers, the slot pushes a corner-breaking out that clears the flat, and the inside trips receiver runs a quick out to the flat as the shallow zone-flood piece, while the backside receiver runs a deep dig across the middle as a hot man beater away from the flood. This is a classic Cover 3 beater built to stress the flat defender and deep third corner with high low leverage, and the primary read progresses from the flat route to the corner route to the vertical seam based on how the flat defender and deep third corner react.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and shell alignment because a rolled down safety to the trips side signals Cover 3 or Cover 4 and tells you the flood concept has a clear high low advantage. Watch the flat defender post-snap since his depth and width determine whether the quick out or the corner route behind him is open first. Key the deep third or deep quarter corner to the trips side, if he sinks hard on the vertical seam the corner route will settle in behind him for an easy pitch and catch. Man coverage with a linebacker matched on the inside trips receiver struggles to carry the shallow out into the flat, making this an efficient answer versus Cover 1 and Cover 0 looks. Beware of a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the flat to trips side, since he can undercut both the shallow out and the corner route if the offense telegraphs the flood side pre-snap. Disguised zone blitzes that rotate a safety down late can jump the corner route timing, so watch for late safety rotation before the snap to avoid throwing into a trap.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single high or two high safeties because this concept is built to punish Cover 3 rotation to the trips side.
If the corner or flat defender jumps the shallow out route, work the progression up to the corner route sitting in the void behind him.
Use the backside dig as a built-in answer versus man coverage since it clears away from trips traffic and gives you a rhythm throw against Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitzes.
This play shines on second and medium to long or third and medium since it takes a full route progression to develop and needs time in the pocket.
Pair Strong Flood with Four Verticals or Hitch Corners from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the flood side sink and squat technique.
Against aggressive user blitzers, hot route the flat route into a quick option or check it down to counter overload pressure looks.
