Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
HB Mtn WR Screen is a motion based screen play out of Shotgun Doubles Y Off with 11 personnel. The diagram shows the outside receiver going in jet motion before the snap, with the offensive line and near back releasing outside to set a wall of blockers on the boundary while the two vertical routes on the right (the go route and the corner style route) clear out the deep defenders. The primary read is the motion receiver catching the screen behind the wall, so the QB is throwing it almost immediately off the snap based on the motion, making this a designed screen rather than a progression read through the deep routes.
Defensive Reads
If the defense is in man coverage, watch for the cornerback aligned over the motion receiver to trail him across the formation, a good user controlled defender can jump the screen release before the blockers set up. Zone coverage shells with linebackers sitting flat rather than sinking with the vertical routes on the right side can be a problem, since those flat defenders can squat on the screen throw. Blitz packages that send extra defenders off the edge away from the motion are actually beaten by this play, since those defenders take themselves out of the screen lane. Pre-snap, check safety depth and corner leverage on the motion side, if the defense shows a hard rotation toward the jet motion before the snap that usually signals the defense has identified the screen tendency. Post-snap, if a user controlled linebacker or safety sits in a shallow lurk technique near the line of scrimmage instead of dropping with the vertical routes, that defender is reading screen and will blow up the play at or near the catch point.
Usage Tips
Call this play when the defense shows an aggressive pre-snap blitz look or overloaded numbers to the play side, since the blockers releasing outside can turn a blitz into a big gain.
Watch the flow of the linebackers and slot corner during the jet motion before the snap, if they run with the motion man hard you should consider checking to a different play since the screen lane will be clogged.
Use the vertical releases on the right side to hold the safety and corner, this manipulates zone defenders and opens up the alley for the screen if the defense is playing off coverage.
Sequence this with Mtn PA Sweep H-Angle or Zone Fake Jet earlier in a drive so the defense starts respecting the jet motion as a run action, which sets up defenders to bite on the fake and lets the WR screen hit for extra yards.
Best used on early downs or second and short when defenders are more willing to sell out against motion, avoid third and long situations where the defense may sit back in soft zone and read screen the whole way.
