Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| WR3 | Left | Run Block |
| WR2 | Left | Run Block |
| TE1 | Right | Run Block |
| WR1 | Left | Bubble Screen |
RPO Read Bubble is a true run pass option out of Shotgun Trips TE Flex Close WK that pairs an inside zone run scheme with a bubble screen to the trips side. The quarterback's primary read is the alley defender or slot defender aligned over the trips bunch: if that defender crashes down on the run fit, pull and throw the bubble to the slot receiver working outside, and if he sits or widens with the bubble route, hand the ball off and let your zone blocking work. This play is a zone beater and a light box beater since it forces linebackers and slot corners to choose between run support and flowing to the flat.
Watch the alley defender or slot corner over the trips bunch, his run fit versus flat drop tells you whether to pull or hand off. Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone shells with a hard flowing linebacker are where the bubble hits fastest since the flat defender is often late getting outside. Man coverage with a slot corner playing tight leverage is where you want to trust the run fit, since he cannot both cover the bubble and fill the alley. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the bubble throwing lane, if the defense clearly jumps the screen with a user flow, take the handoff immediately. Blitzes that bring an extra man off the edge or through the trips bunch pre-snap should scare you off this call, since the mesh point can get blown up before the read develops.
Check the box count before the snap and count defenders inside the tackles, six or fewer in the box is your green light to lean run on the mesh read.
Identify the slot defender's depth pre-snap, if he is sitting inside at five yards or less he is reading run first and the bubble should be your automatic answer.
Use hot routes sparingly here since the trips concept is already spaced to attack numbers, but you can motion the flexed TE to confirm man versus zone before the snap.
This play pairs well with Bounce Read Option and Same Side Zone since all three sell similar run action and force the defense to respect the edge and the alley simultaneously.
Save this call for first or second down in normal box counts, avoid it versus known blitz-heavy dime or nickel packages that bring extra defenders to the trips side pre-snap.