Playbooks

QB Blast

Shotgun·Trips HB Wk·10
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Spread Classic

Breakdown

QB Blast is a designed quarterback run out of Shotgun Trips HB Wk, sending the QB up through a blast hole created by the interior line and fullback style lead blocker despite the 10 personnel grouping. This is a pure run play, not a play-action or RPO, built to catch defenses overplaying the pass with three wide receivers to the trips side. The primary read is downhill: identify the first color that shows in the alley, then decide between the designed blast lane or bouncing outside if the frontside linebacker crashes down too fast.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, count the box defenders and check safety depth, if a safety cheats down into the box before the snap this run dies quickly. Look at linebacker depth, if they are sitting back anticipating a trips concept pass, that opens the interior running lane. Post-snap, key the play side defensive tackle and any user controlled defender crashing the A or B gap, since a disciplined gap read shuts down the blast lane immediately. Watch for a spy or a linebacker staying home on the quarterback, which is the classic counter to designed QB runs out of shotgun trips looks. This run struggles against odd front blitz packages with a linebacker delegated to QB contain, since that defender erases the edge and forces a bang into a clogged interior.

Usage Tips

Call QB Blast on early downs or short yardage third downs when the defense shows a nickel or dime package expecting pass out of Trips HB Wk. Check the box count pre-snap, if there are six or fewer defenders in the box this run hits hard against the grain. Use the QB's speed and acceleration rating before leaning on this play, since it only works if your quarterback can actually threaten the edge or burst through the hole. Pair it with Bubble Screen or RPO Alert Bubble earlier in a series so linebackers stay honest on the trips side receivers and cannot sit on the run fit. Sprinkle it in after calling Four Verticals or Levels a few times to get second level defenders leaning back into coverage drops, then hit them with the blast run while they are out of position. Avoid calling this into a stacked box or when facing a heavy blitz package, since the QB has no help if extra defenders crash downhill immediately.

Other Plays in Trips HB Wk