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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Strong Flood is a three-level flood concept run to the trips side out of Shotgun Trips Y-Flex, with a deep vertical clear-out from the backside X. On the strong side, the outside WR runs a deep out, the slot Y runs an out just underneath it, and the inline TE releases on a deep corner/vertical route that stretches the boundary, creating three horizontal levels for the QB to read on one side of the field. The backside X runs a deep vertical to occupy the single-high safety, while the HB releases into a shallow angle route as a checkdown and man beater against linebackers. This is a classic Cover 3 beater that overloads the flood zone with three receivers stacked at different depths, and the primary read progression goes deep corner to intermediate out to shallow flat.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, if the defense shows a single deep safety and the cornerback to the trips side is playing off with outside leverage, expect Cover 3 and know the flood side out route or the TE corner will be open in the intermediate to deep area. Watch for a user-controlled defender sitting in the flat or hook zone to the trips side, since that lurk defender can jump the shallow out or the Y out and bait the QB into a turnover if the flood is thrown too early. Key the strong safety or outside linebacker depth at the snap, if they widen quickly to cover the flat that signals zone drops designed to take away the underneath flood routes and force the QB to hold the ball for the deep corner. Against Cover 4 or two-high shells, the cornerback to the trips side often has help over the top on the corner route, so look for the safety rotating down to jump the deep out route which can bait a pick if the QB does not recognize the rotation. On blitz packages, identify if the defense brings pressure off the edge to the strong side, since that forces a quick decision and the flood concept can be defeated if the offensive line is beaten before the deep routes have time to develop.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single-high or two-high safety look, since Strong Flood is designed to punish Cover 3 and other single-high zone shells where one defender has to cover three levels to the flood side.
If you see man coverage instead, hot route the backside X vertical into a slant or dig to give your QB a quicker option against man since the flood concept loses some value when defenders can simply run with their assigned man.
Use the deep corner route from the TE as a lob shot against Cover 3 cornerbacks who sink underneath, especially on third and long or in two minute situations where defenses sit in zone to prevent big plays.
Pair this play with Strong Flood X-Cross earlier in a series so the defense sees the same flood shell but has to respect a crossing route killing zone drops, keeping linebackers and safeties honest.
Check the HB angle route as your emergency outlet versus blitz looks, since it clears out into the shallow area quickly and beats man coverage from linebackers who bite on the flood routes.
