Playbooks

HB Middle Screen

Shotgun·Spread·10

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSpread

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 1 playbook

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffense

Breakdown

HB Middle Screen out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel is a designed screen play that baits the pass rush upfield while the offensive line releases to set up blockers in front of the running back. The QB holds the ball briefly, allows the interior rush to commit, then dumps a shovel or quick pass to the HB running through the vacated middle of the field. This is a blitz beater and zone beater first, designed to punish aggressive interior pressure and overzealous linebackers who bite on the play fake.

Defensive Reads

Identify if the defense is in a Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitz look with safeties rotating down, since these aggressive fronts get gashed hardest by this screen. Watch for a spy or a linebacker sitting in a shallow zone drop in the middle of the field. A disciplined spy or a Tampa 2 style middle linebacker can jump the screen and blow it up for a loss. Check cornerback depth and leverage. If corners are playing off in zone and reading the backfield instead of their route responsibilities, they can close on the screen quickly. Against user defense, be wary of a lurking user linebacker or safety sitting in the flat or shallow middle who can sniff out the screen and undercut it before blockers get set. This play struggles against a disciplined four man rush with linebackers holding zone drops rather than blitzing, since the extra rushers you are trying to bait simply are not there.

Usage Tips

Call this play when you diagnose a Cover 1 or Cover 3 blitz with linebackers crashing downhill or a nano blitz package sending extra rushers up the middle.

Use it on early downs or as a change of pace after running hard play-action shots like PA Z-under or PA Slot Slide to keep the defense honest and slow down their pass rush triggers.

Watch the Mike linebacker pre-snap. If he is stacked tight to the line or shows blitz depth, this screen has a much higher chance of springing the HB into open grass.

Manually take control of your lead blockers after the snap to seal off the first defender who diagnoses the screen, since AI blocking alone can whiff against smart user defenders.

Pair this call in a series with Inside Zone and HB Draw so the defense sees the same backfield action and personnel look, making it harder for opponents to key the screen based on formation tendencies alone.