Playbooks
Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Flood out of Shotgun Trio floods one side of the field with three route levels stacked on top of each other. The X (or flanker) runs a deep vertical up the seam, the slot receiver on that same side runs a corner route out toward the sideline, and the third receiver from that stack runs a short flat route underneath. On the opposite side the lone receiver runs an in breaking route across the middle as a backside outlet against man coverage or a hot read against blitz. This is a classic Cover 3 beater since it stretches one zone defender vertically, horizontally, and underneath all at once, forcing him to pick one level while the other two routes sit open. Primary progression is deep vertical first to see if the safety bites on the flat or corner route, then work down to the corner route, then check the flat route underneath if the deep options are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, look for a single high safety alignment, which signals Cover 3 and tells you the flood side flat defender is about to be overloaded by three route levels. Post-snap, key the flat defender or curl to flat zone player: if he sinks with the corner route, the underneath flat is wide open, and if he jumps the flat route, the corner route behind him is the answer. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the deep third or lurking underneath the flood concept, since a smart human defender can rob the corner or flat route and force you to hold the ball into the vertical. Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties shut this concept down more effectively since the deep vertical route runs into extra help, so expect the quarterback to check down quickly against those shells. If the defense brings pressure from the flooded side with a nano blitz or overload blitz, the backside in breaking route becomes the primary answer, so watch for a quick throw away from the flood the instant you diagnose blitz.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify which side the flood concept is stacked on and check if the defense shows a single high safety, since that is your indicator Cover 3 is likely in play and this concept will stretch the deep third defender badly.
If you see two safeties deep (Cover 2 or Cover 4), consider hot routing the flat route into a quick out or checking down immediately since the corner and vertical will have more support over the top.
Use the backside in breaking route as your answer against man coverage or when the defense brings a blitz from the flooded side, since it clears out quickly and gives you a built in hot route against pressure.
Pair this play with Trips Flood or Mills Y Corner in your call sheet to keep the defense guessing between a standard flood look and a mirrored or middle read concept, forcing linebackers and safeties to respect multiple vertical stems from similar formations.
Best used on second or third and medium to long situations where you have time to work the deep to short progression, since rushing the read against a disciplined zone defense will bait you into throwing over the underneath flat defender into the corner route.
