Playbooks
Fk Screen Verts
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Fk Screen Verts lines up five wide out of Shotgun Empty Steeler with 11 personnel, spreading the defense horizontally before releasing four vertical routes and a running back screen underneath. The two inside receivers push straight up the seams while the outside receiver at the bottom runs a wheel style screen route protected by the offensive line sliding out to set up blockers in space, and the near slot breaks outside off his vertical stem to occupy underneath defenders. This is a play-action screen and four verts hybrid built to be both a man beater and a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, with the primary read progression starting at the HB/FB screen for a pre-snap or post-snap throw, then working to the deep seam routes if the screen is covered and linebackers sink into coverage.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers flowing hard to the flat pre-snap or at the snap, since that indicates they are keying the screen action and will vacate the middle for the seam routes to exploit. Identify two deep safety shells (Cover 2 or Cover 4) pre-snap, as these coverages leave natural voids in the seams that the vertical routes are designed to attack. If the user controls a lurking linebacker or nickel defender who sits on the screen route, this play loses its underneath outlet and forces a tougher decision on the vertical routes. Man coverage with a single high safety (Cover 1 or Cover 3 man variants) is the most dangerous shell against this concept, since the seam routes can be jumped by a rangy free safety patrolling the middle. Blitz packages that send extra rushers up the middle actually help this play since the offensive line release for the screen catches blitzers moving away from the ball, so watch for delayed pressure trying to sniff out the screen action.
Usage Tips
Check the pre-snap alignment of the linebackers and safeties before the snap, if the defense shows Cover 2 or Cover 3 with two deep safeties, the screen and seam combo will stress the flat defenders and the deep middle of the field simultaneously.
Use the screen as your first read against aggressive blitz packages since the offensive line release will spring the running back into open space before pressure arrives.
If the defense shows man coverage with no underneath help, work the four verts progression and target whichever vertical route wins the matchup against a linebacker or slower cornerback in coverage.
Pair this play with Steeler HB Screen and WR Screens earlier in a drive to condition the defense to jump the flat, then come back to Fk Screen Verts to hit the seam routes over the top once linebackers start cheating up on screens.
Best used on early downs or in obvious passing situations where defenses are more likely to drop into zone shells, since the vertical routes need time to develop against soft coverage.
