Playbooks
Breakdown
Curl Flats out of Shotgun 5WR Trio (11 personnel) sends the backside outside receiver on a vertical stem into a curl, the backside slot receiver settles into a flat route underneath, and the frontside slot runs a shallow drag/flat crossing route toward the boundary while the frontside outside receiver runs a go route marked as the number 1 read down the sideline. This is a zone beater built on high low stretches at the flat and curl zones, with the deep go route occupying the corner or safety to open the curl window behind him. Primary progression starts with the number 1 go route to see if it clears a soft cover 3 or cover 4 shell, then works to the backside curl, and finally checks down to the flat routes if the deep and intermediate windows are covered.
Defensive Reads
Check the cornerback depth on the number 1 receiver pre-snap, a soft corner playing off coverage tips cover 3 or cover 4 and signals the go route may get jumped by a deep safety. Watch the flat defenders after the snap, if a linebacker or slot corner sinks too deep into the curl zone the flat routes will come open immediately for an easy checkdown. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the biggest vulnerability, since the go route on the number 1 side can win outside leverage against man beaters like cover 1 or cover 0. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties tend to shut down the deep shot but leave the curl route open in the intermediate zone between the corner and the underneath defenders. Watch for a lurking linebacker or user-controlled defender sitting in the curl window, that is the classic zone beater counter that jumps the route and baits the quarterback into a turnover.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two high or single high safety, since the go route on the number 1 side is your explosive shot play against single high man or cover 3.
If you see cover 2 or cover 4 with soft corners, work the curl route first since it settles right into the hole between the corner and the flat defender.
Use the flat routes as built-in checkdowns against blitz looks, they get open fast versus nano blitzes and five-plus man pressure where a linebacker has to widen to the flat.
Pair this play with Four Verticals or Hitch Corners from the same 5WR Trio set to keep the defense honest, since both plays start with similar vertical stems that disguise the eventual break of the curl.
On third and medium, favor the curl route as your primary since it sits at a natural sticks depth and is tougher for zone defenders to close on than the flat.
