Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
HB Angle Screen out of Bunch Wide Nasty is a designed screen pass to the running back who releases out of the backfield on an angle route to the flat while the offensive line sets up a delayed pocket before releasing to lead block downfield. The bunch receivers to the boundary run a clearout stack of routes (a corner or fade combo pulling the deep defenders away) while the two receivers on the far side run a vertical stem to occupy the cornerback and safety on that edge. This is a pure screen concept built to beat man pressure and aggressive blitz packages, with the primary read being the HB out of the backfield first, then the QB checking the far side verticals only if the screen is covered.
Defensive Reads
Key on defensive line pursuit angles immediately after the snap, since disciplined ends who sit and read rather than crash upfield can blow up the screen before it develops. Watch for a spy or a linebacker staying home in the middle of the field, as this defender is the primary threat to jump the angle route. If the cornerback on the bunch side hangs back in a zone drop rather than pressing, that safety-and-corner combo can be sued to sit on the screen and undercut the throw. Man coverage with linebackers in trail technique on the HB is the biggest green light for this play, since the blockers will overwhelm the trailing defender. Heavy blitz packages with no delayed contain get gashed by this play, but a defense that shows blitz then drops into a zone with a spy will often diagnose the screen late and limit the gain.
Usage Tips
Call this play on early downs or third and short when you expect man coverage or a blitz look based on defender alignment near the box.
Watch the linebacker depth pre-snap: if they are crashing downhill on run reads or showing blitz, the angle screen punishes that aggression immediately.
Use the far side verticals as a hot route adjustment if the defense shows a heavy zone shell, since those routes can pull safeties out of the screen lane.
Pair this play with HB Slip Screen and Inside Zone in the same set to keep defenders guessing between run action and screen action out of the same personnel and formation look.
Sell the play by not panicking after the snap, let the linemen get out in front, and only throw once at least one blocker is releasing into the flat.
