Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curl Flats out of Shotgun Empty HB Wide is a five man route concept with no protection help, so it wins purely off timing and route spacing. Both outside receivers run curl routes at the sticks while the inside receivers on each side break to the flats, creating a natural high low stretch on the outside cornerback and flat defender. The middle receiver runs a quick out or slant look breaking to the sideline, giving you a hot throw versus pressure. This is a zone beater first, since the curl flat combo attacks cloud and 2 high shells by forcing the flat defender to choose, but it also holds up against man coverage if the curl sits down in the window against off corners. Primary read is curl to flat on either side based on which safety rotates away, with the middle breaking route as your emergency check versus blitz.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, look at safety depth and corner alignment, since two deep safeties with soft corners invite the curl to sit down right in the throwing lane. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sinks with the curl route the flat throw is wide open, if he jumps the flat the curl window opens up behind him. Versus man coverage, the curl route only wins with separation off the break, so press corners with no help over the top can shut this down if the receiver cannot create space. Blitz heavy looks with five or six man pressure are the biggest threat since Empty HB Wide offers no extra blocker, so a well timed nano blitz or overload pressure can beat the quarterback before routes develop. Post-snap, watch for a user controlled linebacker sitting in the underneath middle throwing lane, since that lurk defender can jump the middle breaking route if the quarterback stares it down too long.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify which side has the softer flat defender or a linebacker in conflict, since that curl flat combo becomes your primary side.
Check for 2 high shells before the snap, since Curl Flats is designed to punish zone defenders who have to cover both the flat and the curl window with one body.
Because this is Empty with no HB in the backfield, you have zero blitz protection, so hot route the middle breaking route or slide protection mentally by getting the ball out fast versus any five plus man rush look.
Use this play on second and medium or third and short to medium, since the flat route is a built in checkdown that still gains positive yardage against soft zone.
Pair Curl Flats with Stick or Quick Slants from the same Empty HB Wide set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and slightly deeper curl reads, then mix in Jailbreak Slot Screen to punish teams selling out on the pass rush after seeing Curl Flats a few times.
