Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Flood is a three-level route concept to the left side of the formation, pairing an outside vertical/corner route with a deep out breaking route and a shallow drag underneath that crosses the formation from the right. On the backside, the Y (TE) releases vertically up the seam, giving the quarterback a full-field flood read if the defense rolls coverage away from the trips side. This is a Cover 3 beater by design, stretching the flat-to-deep zones horizontally so one defender cannot cover all three levels, with the shallow drag also giving a built-in man beater against man coverage due to the natural pick action at the release point.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety alignment: a single-high safety shell signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which this concept is designed to exploit through the flooded zones. Watch the flat defender's depth and width at the snap, since a defender sitting too deep leaves the underneath drag and flat route wide open for an easy completion. If the cornerback on the trips side bails immediately into a deep zone drop, that confirms Cover 3 and the deep out route becomes the primary throwing window. Beware of a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle zone, since he can jump the drag route if the quarterback stares it down. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can shut this down if the corner squeezes the flat route hard, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer and take a coverage sack risk.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a single-high safety look, since Flood is built to punish Cover 3 zone drops on the trips side.
Use the flat route as your immediate hot route answer against blitz looks off the edge, since it clears out fast and gives a quick outlet.
On third and medium, target the deep out route if the corner sinks too far into his zone drop, since that throwing lane opens up against zone corners playing off coverage.
Pair this play with Mtn Mills or Mtn Stick from the same set to keep defenses honest, since those plays attack the middle of the field while Flood stresses the sideline.
Against man coverage, key the shallow drag first since it creates natural rub potential against trailing defenders, then work back to the corner route if the drag is taken away.
