Playbooks
Quick Reference
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Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Split Y-Flex is a designed screen pass that gets the offensive line releasing upfield to sell pass rush while the HB slips out to the flat for a delayed pop pass. The diagram shows both outside receivers running vertical clear-out routes (the boundary WR breaks back to the sideline while the far side WR and TE push straight upfield) to pull defenders away from the screen zone, while the HB, marked by the red route, sits just behind the line before the ball comes out. The primary read progression is: identify if the screen is there first by reading defensive line penetration and linebacker flow, and if the screen is covered, work from the vertical routes on the outside back toward any underneath breakoff route.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage defenders who bite on the vertical releases from the outside WR and TE routes get taken completely out of the screen lane, making this a strong man beater. Watch for a spy linebacker or a defender staying home in the backfield area, that player is the key threat to jump the screen route before blockers arrive. Zone defenses that sink linebackers into short flat zones can sit right on top of the HB screen and blow it up, so avoid this call against heavy Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone drops with disciplined LB spacing. Defensive tackles who read screen quickly and stay home instead of rushing upfield will collapse the pocket into the HB's lane, killing the play before it develops. On the user side, if the defensive player controls a linebacker and sits flat footed near the line instead of dropping, expect that user to be sitting on the screen, so consider audibling to a vertical shot instead.
Usage Tips
Use this play against aggressive four man or five man rushes since the extra bodies chasing the QB create bigger running lanes once the screen sets up.
Check pre-snap for blitz indicators like linebackers creeping to the line or safeties rotating down, this screen punishes overload blitzes and nano blitz attempts.
Hold the throw a beat longer than instinct tells you so the linemen get out in front, throwing too early gets the HB tackled behind the blockers.
Pair this call with HB Draw and Inside Zone Split in the same drive to keep the defense guessing between run and screen out of the same personnel and formation look.
Best used on second or third and short to medium since a blown up screen against disciplined defenses can lose yardage on early downs.
