Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Tight Doubles is a designed screen pass built to slow down aggressive pass rushers and blitz-heavy defenses. Both outside receivers push vertical stems into deep clear routes to pull cornerbacks and safeties off the underneath area, while the interior linemen release upfield to set up a wall in front of the HB as he slips out to the flat/screen area behind the line. The primary read progression is simple: the QB immediately looks to the HB releasing into the screen, trusting the blockers to get set before delivering the pass, with the clear-out routes acting as decoys against man coverage or deep zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage is a green light for this play since the deep clear-outs will pull defenders away from the screen lane, especially against Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitz calls. Watch for defensive ends and outside linebackers with screen recognition ratings who can sit and read the backfield instead of rushing, since they will blow this play up immediately. Zone coverages with linebackers sitting in shallow hook or curl zones are the biggest threat, as a user-controlled linebacker can jump the screen lane before blockers get set. Pre-snap, check safety depth: if both safeties are deep in a two-high shell, the underneath area is likely softer and more favorable for the screen to develop. Post-snap, key the defensive line's pursuit angles, if they are selling hard upfield on the pass rush, the screen has a natural angle to develop behind them for a big gain.
Usage Tips
Call this play when you see pre-snap blitz indicators like linebackers creeping to the line or a defensive line shifted wide for an overload rush, since the screen naturally punishes upfield pressure.
Use the vertical clear-out routes to bait aggressive user-controlled corners or safeties into jumping underneath routes that are not there, opening the screen lane.
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick hitch or slant if you diagnose zone coverage, giving yourself a quick throwaway option if the screen is covered.
Pair this with HB Draw and Inside Zone from the same set to keep defenses honest on early downs, then hit them with the screen once they start selling out against the run.
Best used on early downs or third and short when defenses are more likely to bring extra rushers, and avoid calling it against disciplined zone teams that sit their linebackers in short areas.
