Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
All Curl out of Shotgun Trips TE lines up three receivers to one side with a solo receiver backside running a hitch or slant into the flat, while the trips side stacks a vertical stem into a hard curl at the numbers, an inside receiver working an underneath crosser toward the sideline, and the third trips receiver settling into a shallow curl over the middle. The backside X runs a go route up the boundary as a clear out or shot option if the defense overloads the trips curls. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 3 and Cover 4 by settling receivers in the soft spots between the underneath zone and the deep zone, with the primary read starting on the outside curl at the numbers before working inside to the shallow curl and finally to the backside single receiver.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender and outside linebacker on the trips side before the snap, if they are sitting shallow they can jump the underneath curl and bait a turnover. Key the deep middle safety, if he stays home in a true Cover 3 shell the outside curl at the numbers becomes the layup throw since the corner has to respect the vertical stem. Man coverage with no safety help over the top shuts this down quickly since the curls have no natural separation against tight coverage, so bail to a different concept if you see man match indicators like receivers being followed in motion. Look for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow zone as a lurk threat, that is the biggest risk to the inside curl and shallow crosser, so be ready to climb the progression to the backside single receiver route. Post-snap, if the linebackers show blitz and vacate underneath zones immediately, throw the hot route or quick outlet before the curls have time to develop against a five or six man rush.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is playing zone or man because this concept loses value against tight man coverage with no natural rub. Look for two high safeties with linebackers sitting at depth, that shell tells you the curls will sit down right in the soft spots of a Cover 2 or Cover 3 zone. If you see Cover 3 with a deep middle safety, start your eyes on the outside curl at the numbers first since that is the primary window before the flat defender can close. Use the play on second and medium to third and short since the routes settle quickly and give you a rhythm throw instead of forcing a deep shot. Pair this play in your call sheet with Curl Flat or Deep In from the same set so the defense has to respect both the sit down curls and the vertical shots, keeping linebackers honest and opening throwing lanes underneath. If the defense shows heavy blitz looks pre-snap, hot route the backside single receiver into a quick hitch or slant to give yourself a fast outlet against extra rushers.
