Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| SLWR | Right | Bubble Screen |
| WR1 | Left | Option Route |
| WR2 | Right | Run Block |
| TE1 | Right | Run Block |
RPO Power Alert Bubble is a true run pass option built off Wide Y Off Trips in Shotgun 11 personnel, pairing an inside Power run scheme with a bubble screen alert to the trips side. The QB reads the flow of the play side linebacker or slot defender before the snap and immediately after: if that alert defender crashes down on the Power run action, the QB pulls and fires the bubble to the trips receiver running underneath. This is not a play-action shot play, it is a numbers based conflict read designed to punish overaggressive run fits and light box counts, with the primary progression being alert defender read first, then bubble receiver, then Power handoff if numbers stay even.
Watch the slot corner or overhang defender pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow and inside he is likely keying the bubble and will jump the screen, which should push your decision toward the Power hand off. Check safety depth and rotation before the snap, two deep shells with the overhang staying home on the bubble receiver take away the easy pitch and force the offense into the run fit. Look for linebacker downhill triggers at the snap, aggressive run blitzing linebackers create the exact conflict this RPO is designed to exploit, since the bubble throw beats them clean before they can recover. Beware of user controlled defenders sitting on the flat or lurking the bubble route, a smart human defender can bait the QB into the throw and jump the route for a pick six. Against Cover 0 or man blitz packages, the overhang defender chasing his man leaves the bubble uncovered almost every time, making this play a near automatic answer to all out pressure calls.
Check the box count before the snap and count defenders in the box against your blockers to confirm Power has a numbers advantage before you even consider the run side.
Identify the alert defender pre-snap, usually the slot corner or overhang linebacker aligned over the trips bunch, since his post-snap trigger decides your entire read.
Use the bubble as a built in answer to blitz heavy or Cover 0 looks where the overhang defender bails or blitzes off the edge, since the numbers advantage flips instantly to the perimeter.
Hot route the backside receiver on a quick slant or hitch if you consistently see man coverage rotated away from the alert defender, giving you a manual throw option outside the RPO read.
Sequence this with HB Power G and RPO Walk Alert Slant from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the bubble key without opening up the interior run lanes or getting beat by the slant window.