Playbooks
Breakdown
Flood out of Shotgun Bunch attacks one side of the field with three levels of route depth stacked vertically. The backside receiver runs an out route to the flat, while the bunch releases a deep corner route up the sideline, a shallow drag underneath crossing the field, and the inline TE fires off the line on a vertical seam that bends into the flood concept. This is a classic Cover 3 beater that overloads one third of the field with three receivers at three distinct depths, forcing a single defender to choose who to cover, with the primary read progression going deep corner to seam to underneath drag.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap since that signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which struggle to defend the three level stretch this play creates. If the flood side cornerback bails deep at the snap, that confirms zone coverage and opens the window for the corner route or the seam depending on how the underneath defender flows. Key the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker after the snap, since if he sinks with the seam route the shallow drag will be wide open behind him. Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells with two deep safeties to that side can squeeze the corner route, so be ready to check down to the drag or the backside out route instead of forcing the deep ball. Man coverage with underneath help, especially Cover 1 with a robber defender sitting in the shallow zone, can jump the drag route, so scan for a user controlled defender lurking underneath before committing to that read.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a single deep safety look since that confirms Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which this concept eats alive.
If the corner to the flood side is playing off and deep, your first read is the deep corner route since it will be running to open grass against a Cover 3 cloud rotation.
Use motion or a hot route on the backside out route to convert it into a quick outlet if you see man coverage sneaking in, giving you a built in checkdown against blitz looks.
Pair this with Bunch Verts or PA Divide Wheels in your play-calling sequence to keep defenders guessing between the flood concept and vertical shots from the same formation and personnel look.
Best used on second and medium to second and long situations where defenses are more likely to sit back in zone shells rather than crash the box.
