Flood is a three level route concept run to the same side of the field, designed to stress a single cornerback and flat defender with vertical and horizontal stress at once. Off the diagram, the outside receiver runs a deep go up the sideline, the slot runs an out breaking route that settles in the flat area underneath, and a tight end or third receiver clears out on a corner route from the backside working into the same zone, while the backside X runs an in cutting route across the middle on the red route. This is a classic Cover 3 beater since it overloads the deep third and flat defender on one side, and the primary read progression goes deep go first to hold the corner, then to the underneath flat route, then to the crossing route if the flood side gets taken away.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, identify if the cornerback to the flood side is playing off man or sitting in a zone drop, since this concept struggles against aggressive press man with safety help over the top. Watch the flat defender, if a linebacker or slot corner sinks hard to cover the underneath out route, the window for the flat throw closes and you need to climb the progression to the corner or go route. Cover 3 with a static deep third defender is the easiest shell to exploit here, the corner and flat routes create a natural high low that Cover 3 cannot fully cover with only three deep defenders. Cover 2 with two deep safeties can shrink the vertical passing lanes, so key the safety alignment pre snap, if he shades hard to the flood side, expect the go route to be taken away and look underneath faster. User controlled defenders who jump the flat route early leave the deep go route open behind them, so if you see a user lurking underneath, trust the vertical shot on time.

Usage Tips

Check pre snap for single high shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1 since the flood concept is designed to overload that deep third defender and the flat defender on the same side.

If the defense shows two high safeties pre snap, consider hot routing the corner route into a deeper post or audibling to another play in the set like Levels Y Sail which attacks two high shells more directly.

Use the deep go route as a clock read, if the cornerback bails into a deep zone throw underneath to the flat route immediately, if he sits on the flat route throw the go route on time.

This play pairs well with RPO Alert Bubble and RPO X Smoke as pre snap answers if the defense shows heavy run support to the flood side, giving you a built in check versus loaded boxes.

Best used on second and medium or third and short to medium since the quick underneath flat option gives a reliable checkdown against zone blitzes.

Flood

Quick Reference

In 3 playbooks

Receiver routes

Read progression

Breakdown

Defensive Reads

Usage Tips

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