Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
Jailbreak Screen out of Shotgun Empty Bunch Wide is a wide receiver screen designed to get the ball out quickly to the bunch side. The diagram shows the two inside bunch receivers running short flare and pick routes to occupy underneath defenders while the outside receiver in the bunch sets up as the screen target, with the offensive line releasing downfield to lead block once the catch is made. The lone backside receiver runs a vertical route to hold the corner and safety on that side away from the action. Primary read progression is a pre-determined screen to the bunch receiver, so the QB is throwing on rhythm off the snap rather than progressing through routes.
Defensive Reads
Watch pre-snap for blitz indicators such as linebackers creeping toward the line of scrimmage, since a hot blitz sells out and the screen exploits the vacated underneath area behind it. Man coverage on the bunch receivers is a green light because the pick and flare action naturally creates separation and confuses man defenders trying to fight through traffic. Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells with linebackers reading run first can be beaten if those linebackers flow away from the screen side on the snap. Watch for a user-controlled defender spying or sitting in a shallow zone near the bunch, since a smart user can jump the screen route and blow it up for a loss. Disciplined defenses that keep linebackers at home and have a defensive lineman with quick hands can bat down or tackle the screen behind the line, so avoid calling this against teams that consistently play containment defense.
Usage Tips
Call this against aggressive defenses that bring extra pressure or crash hard off the edge, since the blockers get a numbers advantage before the defense can react.
Check the box count on the bunch side pre-snap, if you see four or more defenders crowded there the screen lanes get clogged and this play loses value.
Use hot routes sparingly here, but you can convert the backside vertical into a quick out or slant if you need a built in answer against man coverage on that side.
This works best on early downs or obvious passing situations where the defense expects a dropback, catching linebackers in coverage drops instead of run fits.
Pair it in a play-calling sequence with Deep Flood or Post Corner Read from the same set so the defense has to respect vertical shots before you come back to this quick-hitting screen.
