Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Trey Open releases three vertical stems from the trips side to clear out underneath defenders while the offensive line initially shows pass protection before slipping outside to wall off the edge for the running back. The QB takes the snap, sells the drop, and dumps the ball to the HB who releases toward the boundary side away from the trips bunch. This is a screen play designed to bait aggressive pass rushers and man coverage defenders who bite on the vertical releases, leaving the backfield wide open for the HB to catch and run behind blockers. Primary read is the HB in the flat, the QB has no progression beyond this single check down.
Defensive Reads
Read the defensive line get up field aggressively at the snap, this is the biggest tell that the screen will hit clean since your blockers get outside position easily. If the user is controlling a linebacker, watch for him sitting flat instead of rushing or biting on the trips releases, a disciplined spy or lurk defender can jump the throwing lane and blow this up for a loss. Zone coverage shells with linebackers reading the backfield through the mesh point tend to sniff this screen out quickly, especially Tampa 2 or Cover 3 sets with linebackers trained to scan for screens. Man coverage on the trips side is ideal since those defenders turn their backs to the play chasing vertical routes, eliminating any threat of them rallying to the flat. Watch cornerback and safety depth pre-snap, if the defense is showing two deep safeties with soft corners it usually signals coverage over pressure, making this screen a low risk check down against drop back looks.
Usage Tips
Call this play against defenses showing blitz pressure pre-snap since the screen naturally punishes overpursuing rushers and aggressive nano blitz packages.
Watch the defensive line alignment before the snap, if you see wide nine techniques or edge rushers crashing hard off the ball this screen hits even harder because your linemen get an easier angle to slip outside.
Hold the throw for a full one to two second count after the snap to let your blockers get set, throwing too early results in a negative play since the wall has not formed yet.
Pair this with HB Draw and Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense keys run action, then use this screen to counter linebackers flowing hard downhill on run fits.
Use this on second and long or third and manageable when defenses are more likely to bring pressure or drop into man coverage expecting a dropback pass, avoid it against disciplined zone teams that spy the backfield.
