Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Tackle Over is a screen pass built to bait aggressive pass rushers upfield while the offensive line releases to set up a wall in front of the running back. The diagram shows two vertical clearout routes on the right side and a short outside release from the tight end on the left, all designed to drag defenders away from the underneath area, while the HB slips out to the flat behind the line of scrimmage as the primary read. This is a man beater against blitz-heavy or aggressive man coverage looks, since the vertical routes pull cornerbacks and safeties deep and remove defenders from the screen lane.
Defensive Reads
Identify user-controlled defenders sitting in the shallow flat or spying the backfield, since a lurking linebacker or nickel defender can jump this screen for a big loss. Zone coverages with underneath defenders sitting at the line, particularly Cover 2 or Cover 3 with hard flat drops, are the biggest threat to this concept because they can read the screen and blow it up before the wall forms. Man coverage that presses the vertical routes hard leaves the middle of the field open, so if you see press man across the formation, this screen should hit big. Watch for delayed blitzes or contain rushers who stay home on the running back instead of chasing the quarterback, this is the classic counter to slip screens and it kills the play before blockers get set. On the offensive side, if the defense shows a heavy blitz with no spy or contain defender staying back, expect this screen to have a wide-open lane once the blockers get out in front.
Usage Tips
Call this play on early downs or short yardage when the defense shows blitz pressure or man coverage with corners playing tight at the line.
Watch pre-snap for stacked box counts or safety rotation toward the line, since that confirms the defense is selling out against the run or blitzing off the edge, both of which open up the screen lane.
Let the play develop for a full one to two seconds after the snap so the offensive line can get out in front, do not panic and throw it into a crowd immediately after the snap.
Pair this with Inside Zone and Read Option from the same Tackle Over set so the defense has to respect the run fake and cannot sit on the screen.
Use HB Slip Screen as a changeup after a few reps of RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Alert X Z Smoke to slow down linebackers who are keying run fits fast and flowing hard downhill.
