Playbooks
Breakdown
Curl Flats out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel shows a five-receiver empty look with double curl-flat combos on both edges and a dig or crossing route working underneath from the middle receiver. The two outside receivers run curls at roughly ten to twelve yards while the inside receivers on each side settle into the flats, creating a horizontal stretch on the boundary corners and flat defenders. This is a zone beater designed to attack cover 2 and cover 3 by putting a high-low read on the flat defender, with the primary progression starting at the number 1 receiver's curl route, then working to the flat, and finally checking the middle crossing route if the underneath zones are clogged.
Defensive Reads
Check safety depth pre-snap since two deep safeties suggest cover 2 or cover 4, which means the flat defender will be isolated against the curl-flat combo. Watch the cornerback alignment on the number 1 receiver, if he is playing off with outside leverage he is inviting the curl throw into the soft spot of a cover 3 zone. Post-snap, track the flat defender's first two steps, if he sinks with the curl route the flat is open, if he jumps the flat route the window opens up behind him for the curl. Beware of cover 3 sky or buzz rotations that add an extra defender underneath, since this can clog both the curl and flat throwing lanes simultaneously. If the defense shows blitz with only single-high safety, expect man coverage underneath, so key the crossing route from the middle receiver as a natural pick against man defenders.
Usage Tips
Read the flat defender pre-snap to see if he is sitting at five yards or cheating toward the curl, since that tells you whether to throw underneath or over the top.
Use this on third and short to medium since the flat route is a built-in checkdown against zone drops and the curl gives you a chain-moving option if the flat is taken away.
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, hot route the curl into a corner or speed out to create separation instead of settling into a covered zone.
Pair this call with Y Cross or Mesh from the same formation to keep the defense guessing between horizontal stretch concepts and crossing routes that attack man coverage.
Against user-controlled defenders sitting in the flat, look immediately to the curl route since the user is likely baiting the checkdown throw.
