Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curls Combo out of Shotgun Trey Open lines up three receivers to the right and a single receiver plus the TE to the left. The backside X runs a vertical release up the numbers before breaking down into a curl, while on the trips side the slot runs a quick out/curl toward the flat and the outside receiver runs a deep comeback style curl from the top of the stack. The TE releases from the left and works a short curl at the sideline, giving the quarterback a curl at every level and width of the field. This is a zone beater built on horizontal and vertical spacing, with the primary read starting at the deep curl to the trips side before working down to the shorter curls underneath if the zone sits deep.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first, since curl routes live in the space just past underneath zone drops and a defender sitting too flat opens a throwing lane. Watch the deep safety alignment before the snap, because this concept struggles against a true two deep shell that squeezes the width of the field and takes away the deep curl. Key the middle linebacker's drop, if he sinks hard to the trips side curl the backside single receiver curl becomes wide open in isolation. Look for user controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position at the sticks, since curls are vulnerable to a spy or rat defender jumping the underneath break. Cover 3 with aggressive underneath zone drops is the toughest matchup for this play, while Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells with soft corners tend to leave the curl windows wide open at the sticks.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a two high shell or single high safety, since curls settle into soft spots in zone coverage. Use motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into showing blitz or zone drop before the snap. If you see man coverage with no underused hole defender, hot route the trips curl into a flat route to create instant separation versus a defender playing top down. This play pairs well with Curls X Go in this set, since the deep comeback look sets up the double move if defenders jump the curl break. On third and medium to third and long, this play is a strong call because every route sits at a different depth to match the sticks. Sequence this after a few quick game or run plays to get linebackers cheating up, then hit the deep curl over the top of a shallow zone drop.
