Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slot Curl out of Shotgun Tight Flex 11 personnel sends the backside X on a deep corner route while the inline TE on that side clears vertically up the seam, creating a natural high low stretch on that side of the field. The slot receiver runs the namesake curl route, sitting down in the void between the underneath zone and the deep coverage, while the flanker to the boundary side runs a flat route and the running back stays in to check release protection. This is a zone beater at its core, using the curl to sit in soft spots against Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells, with the corner and seam combo on the backside acting as a natural clear out if the defense rotates coverage away from the flat concept.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, a single high safety shows vulnerability to the backside corner route while two high safeties suggest the defense is prioritizing taking away the deep shots and daring you to work the curl and flat underneath. Post-snap, key the underneath linebackers, if they sink hard into the curl window immediately, look to the flat route or the seam clearing route from the tight end as the coverage is likely sitting in Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone drops. Watch for user controlled defenders lurking in the curl zone, a smart human opponent will often sit a linebacker or nickel defender directly in the throwing lane to bait an interception. Man coverage shells with the corner pressed on the flat receiver signal an opportunity to attack with a quick hot route adjustment before the defender can leverage the route. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge or through the A gap put pressure on the running back check release assignment, if the protection breaks down the quarterback needs to get the ball out on the curl or flat quickly rather than waiting for the corner route to develop.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium or third and short since the curl route sits at a depth that consistently converts short to intermediate yardage against zone drops.
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety shells, this play is most effective against single high looks because the corner route on the backside can exploit the deep half if the safety cheats toward the curl side.
Hot route the flat route to a quick out if you see the defense showing man coverage with the corner pressed on that receiver, giving your quarterback an immediate answer versus blitz.
Pair this play with Frisco or Stick from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick game concepts and the intermediate curl read, forcing linebackers to respect both the shallow and mid level zones.
Watch the running back check release, if the defense brings a nano blitz off the edge, keep him in as an extra blocker rather than releasing him into the flat.
