Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Doubles sends four vertical stems from both outside receivers and the slot to clear out the underneath zones and freeze linebackers, while the offensive line slides out to release the running back into the flat as a screen blocker convoy. The QB takes a quick drop and delivers the ball to the HB just outside the tackle box behind that wall of blockers. This is a screen play designed to punish aggressive pass rushes and man coverage that bites on the vertical releases, with the primary read being the HB in the flat first, checking the four verticals downfield only if the screen is sniffed out and defenders are sitting on it.
Defensive Reads
Watch for user-controlled defenders staying home near the line of scrimmage instead of dropping into coverage, since that is the biggest indicator this screen has been scouted. Key on defensive tackle alignment and whether interior rushers are crashing hard upfield, which opens the screen lane wide for the HB. Check linebacker depth at the snap: shallow linebackers who stay put in the box can jump the screen and blow it up for a loss. Man coverage with corners turning their backs on the vertical releases is the ideal shell to attack, since no one is sitting on the flat. Zone shells with a linebacker spying the backfield or a defensive lineman dropping into coverage on a delay blitz are the counter that shuts this screen down completely.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or third and short when the defense has shown blitz tendencies on tape, since a hard rush accelerates the screen and leaves defenders grasping at air. Check the pre-snap alignment for stacked box fronts or blitz-heavy sub packages, as those defenses have no chance to react to the delayed screen release. Pair this with HB Mid Draw and Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense keys run action and jumps the box, making the screen even more explosive when they finally get burned. Hot route the backside vertical receiver into a shorter comeback or curl if the defense shows a two-high shell, giving you a quick checkdown if the screen lanes get clogged. Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers at home, since spy-eyed defenders sitting underneath can blow this up before the blockers get set.
