Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Box Offset Wk lines up the HB in the backfield with the offensive line selling a pass drop before releasing to escort the back on the screen, while the TE and slot receiver on the right side run a Dig and Post combo with the outside receiver working a corner route to hold the deep defenders. On the left side, the receiver runs a shallow drag/out breaking route to occupy underneath defenders away from the screen. This is a classic screen pass designed to beat aggressive man coverage and blitz packages, using the natural flow of pass rushers to spring the HB into open space behind the line. The primary read progression is to check the screen first: if the HB has blockers in space, get the ball out immediately; if the screen is covered, work to the Dig or corner route based on the coverage shell.
Defensive Reads
Watch for defenders spying the HB immediately at the snap instead of rushing, which signals the CPU or user is sitting on the screen and will blow it up for a loss. Man coverage on the HB is the biggest green light for the offense, so as a defender, pattern match and stay square instead of turning your back on the backfield. Zone coverage with linebackers sinking hard into their drops away from the line of scrimmage will struggle to close on the screen in time, so user a linebacker to sit on short routes near the play call. Blitz packages that send five or six rushers upfield without accounting for the HB are the worst matchup for the defense against this play, since blockers get numbers advantage in space. If the right side Dig, Post, and Corner combo is left uncovered because defenders bite on the screen fake, expect the QB to pull it back and throw downfield, so keep a deep safety honest over the top.
Usage Tips
Call this play against defenses showing blitz indicators like walked up linebackers or overloaded fronts, since the extra rushers taking themselves out of the play only helps the screen develop.
Pre-snap, check for man coverage on the HB out of the backfield; if a linebacker is manned up tight, this play has a high success rate because he will get lost in the wash of blockers.
Use the right side route combo of Dig, Post, and Corner as a change of pace if the defense sits back in zone and clogs the screen lanes, since those routes stress deep zone defenders vertically and horizontally.
Pair this play with HB Draw and Inside Zone from the same set to keep defenses guessing on run versus screen keys, since the backfield action looks similar pre-snap.
Avoid calling this on obvious passing downs against disciplined zone defenses that spy the backfield, since screen savvy defenders can blow this up before it develops.
