Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 16 playbooks
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Bunch Wide Nasty is a designed screen pass built to slow down aggressive pass rushes and nano blitz packages. The bunch side releases two receivers vertically upfield to clear out the underneath zone, with the outside receiver breaking to a shallow drag while the offensive line and near receiver set up a wall for the running back slipping out to the flat. The primary read is the HB out of the backfield: get the ball into his hands quickly behind the screen wall and let blocks develop before working to the vertical releases as secondary options if the screen is diagnosed.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man or zone match on the bunch trio. Tight man coverage with press corners bites hard on the vertical releases and opens the screen lane. Key the middle linebacker depth. If he is stacked close to the line in blitz alignment, he is a primary user threat who can read the screen and jump it if not accounted for. Watch for a defensive end or edge rusher who stays home instead of crashing upfield. A disciplined rusher who sits and reads backfield action can blow up the slip screen for a loss. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender dropping into a shallow lurk technique near the line of scrimmage. That defender is scheme-designed to sit in the screen window and must be manipulated with the vertical clears. This concept gets shut down by teams playing spy or contain rushers who stay disciplined, and it thrives against pure man blitz packages where defenders vacate the underneath area entirely.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or third and short against defenses that show heavy pressure looks pre-snap, since blitzing linebackers and defensive ends running upfield make the screen wall easier to set.
Check the defensive front before the snap. If you see six or more defenders showing blitz intent, snap it immediately since the screen naturally counters an overpursuing rush.
Use hot routes sparingly here. Keep the bunch releases as designed vertical clears and only adjust the shallow drag depth if you see a linebacker sitting in a shallow zone that could jump the screen.
Pair this with Inside Zone and Cheat HB Slip Screen in the same set to keep defenders honest. Running the base zone run first sets up defenders to bite on run fakes, making the slip screen hit even harder on the next call.
Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers home, since spy technique or a defender sitting in the screen lane can blow up the play before the wall forms.
