Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Curl Flat out of Shotgun Empty Chips (11 personnel) spreads five eligible receivers across the formation with no running back in the backfield. The diagram shows the outside receiver running a deep vertical to clear space, the inside slot running a curl that settles in the underneath void, a tight end or slot defender running a quick out/flat route to the boundary, and the backside receiver on an outside release go route stretching the far cornerback vertically. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by working the curl to flat combination against the flat defender and hook zone, with the primary read starting on the flat route, then working to the curl sitting behind any underneath defenders.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender at the snap since Cover 2 corners will sink deep while linebackers or nickel defenders jump the flat, creating a conflict you can exploit with timing. Key the middle linebacker or hook defender depth, if he sits shallow the curl route will have room to settle for an easy completion. Against man coverage, this concept loses value since there is no natural pick or rub to separate the curl from man defenders, so check to a man beater if you see press alignment pre-snap. Look for a lurking safety or user controlled defender sitting in the curl window, that is the biggest threat to this concept and forces you to work the flat route instead. If the defense shows Cover 4 or quarters with safeties staying deep, expect the underneath defenders to be able to cover both curl and flat comfortably, so consider audibling to a vertical shot play instead.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high safety, since this concept is built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells specifically.
If the cornerback is playing off coverage on the flat receiver, take the quick out immediately for a safe underneath completion against zone drops.
Against Cover 3, work the curl route as your primary read since it settles in the soft spot between the underneath zone defenders and the deep third defender.
Use the vertical route on the backside to hold the deep safety and prevent him from rotating over to help on the curl flat side.
Pair this play with Slot Sail or Flood from the same set on the following down to keep the defense guessing between high low flat concepts and curl flat concepts out of the same empty formation look.
