Playbooks
Return Post Curl is a trips-based passing concept out of Shotgun Trips TE Flex Close WK designed to attack both zone and man coverage with a deep post paired with an underneath curl breakoff. The backside receiver runs a return route to hold safety help away from the trips side while the trips receivers work a post-curl combo that stresses the middle third and the flat-to-curl window simultaneously. Primary read starts with the post route against single high safety looks, then works down to the curl sitting in the intermediate zone if the post is capped, with the return route as a late checkdown against blitz.
Identify single high safety shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3 pre-snap since the post route wins big against these shells if the safety bites on the curl or flat threat Watch for two deep safety looks like Cover 2 or Cover 4, which force you to check down to the curl route since the post will run into help over the top Read the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks deep to wall off the post the curl route becomes the primary target in the vacated zone Beware of Cover 3 sky or cloud variations where a corner sits underneath the curl and jumps the route, in this case the return route or a hot adjustment is safer Blitz-heavy man packages with a lurking linebacker underneath can jump the curl route, so use the post as a hot answer versus pressure looks and get the ball out quickly
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see a single high safety rotate to the post side immediately since that means the post has a one on one shot down the middle
Use this play on second and long or third and medium situations where the defense is more likely to sit in zone coverage and give the curl route a soft window to settle into
Motion or hot route the backside return route into a deeper comeback if you are facing a corner playing off coverage to create extra separation
Pair this call with Mtn Dagger or Switch Dagger in the same set so the defense has to respect both a post shot and a dig underneath, keeping linebackers honest
Against man coverage, key the post route release first since a clean release usually means no safety help over the top and you should throw it before the window closes