Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Curl Flat out of Shotgun Trio Offset Wk lines up three receivers to one side with a tight end attached, and the diagram shows the outside receiver breaking off a curl at roughly 10 yards while the inside slot runs a flat route to the same side, creating a natural high low stretch. The backside receiver runs a deep cross over the middle while the other backside receiver runs a short drag underneath, giving the quarterback a full field progression. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by putting a defender in conflict between the curl and flat, with the crossing routes serving as a secondary answer if the flat side is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender's leverage pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow and inside he is likely keying the flat route and will jump it, leaving the curl route open behind him. Identify Cover 3 rotation post-snap, if the corner to the route side bails deep into his third the flat route becomes an easy pitch and catch underneath. Look for a linebacker spy or lurk defender sitting in the shallow crossing lane, since he can undercut the backside drag route if he reads the quarterback's eyes early. Man coverage with no underneath help shuts this down quickly, so if you see press man alignment across the board expect the crossing routes to be the primary answer instead of the curl flat combo. Watch for a blitz off the edge to the curl flat side, since a hot flat route can be the answer, but a well timed nano blitz can beat the protection before the quarterback can climb the progression.
Usage Tips
Read the flat defender first since the curl and flat combo is designed to put him in a bind between the shallow route and the sitting curl route.
Check pre-snap for Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells since this play is built to exploit the seams those coverages leave underneath the deep zones.
Hot route the backside drag into a quick out if you see man coverage press at the line, since the natural rub from the crossing route can spring it open against man beaters.
Use this on second and medium or third and short distances where the underneath completions to the flat or drag can pick up the sticks without needing the curl to fully break open.
Pair this with Verticals or PA Niners Flood from the same set to keep defenders honest, since Curl Flat punishes underneath zone drops while the deeper shots punish safeties who cheat up to stop it.
