Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Ace Slot shows two vertical clear-out routes up the seams, two deep outside breaking routes from the slot receivers to drag coverage away from the backfield, and the HB releasing to the flat behind a wall of screening linemen before slipping upfield. The offensive line sells pass protection for a beat then flows out to set up blockers in front of the HB, making this a classic screen pass built to bait pressure and beat aggressive man coverage or overloaded blitz fronts. The primary read is the HB in the flat: the QB should look off the vertical routes to hold linebackers deep, then flip to the screen as soon as the underneath defenders bite on the drop.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check linebacker depth: if they are stacked tight to the line expecting run or blitz, this screen has a high chance of hitting for a big gain. Watch for a user-controlled defender spying the HB at the snap, that is the biggest threat to this play since a disciplined spy can blow it up before blockers get set. Man coverage across the board with no underneath zone defender sitting in the flat is the ideal look, since nobody is left to react to the screen quickly. Cover 2 or Cover 3 zone shells with linebackers sitting in short zones are the counter, a linebacker who reads screen and sits in the flat can jump the throw for a pick six. Post-snap, if the defensive line does not fully commit to the pass rush and instead reads screen, they will contain the blockers and limit the play to a minimal gain, so avoid calling this against disciplined defensive lines that stay home.
Usage Tips
Call this against defenses showing Cover 0 or Cover 1 man pre-snap since the four vertical and deep out routes pull defenders away from the box and open the screen lane.
Use this on early down-and-distance or after you have shown inside zone and QB Power from this same set so linebackers are already keyed to run action and bite up on the snap.
Hot route one of the outside vertical routes into a shallow drag if you see a Cover 2 shell with safeties sitting deep, this keeps a defender occupied without needing him to run 20 yards downfield.
Snap the ball quickly against known blitz teams, the screen is designed to burn nano blitzes and edge pressure before it develops, so do not hold the ball waiting on the verticals to come open.
Pair this play in sequence with Read Option or RPO Alert Bubble from Ace Slot to keep linebackers guessing between run fits and screen recognition, then hit Slip Screen once they start crashing downhill.
