Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
RPO Alert Bubble is an RPO built off inside zone run action with a bubble screen alert to the slot receiver. The diagram shows the running back taking a zone handoff path behind the line while the slot receiver runs a quick bubble route out to the flat as the pre-snap alert throw. This is a zone-beater at heart because it punishes light box counts and flowed linebackers, giving the quarterback a clean give versus base fronts or an instant bubble pull versus overloaded box looks.
Defensive Reads
Watch the alert defender over the slot receiver pre-snap, if he is aligned outside with depth to sink into the flat, the bubble read is likely covered. Check linebacker depth at the snap, linebackers crashing hard downhill into the box confirm the give read since the alert defender is now isolated on the bubble. Man coverage with a cornerback locked on the bubble receiver and no underneath help kills this concept, take the run instead. Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells with a flat defender sitting at five yards or shallower are the toughest coverage to attack with the bubble since it clogs the throwing lane. Look for user defenders jumping the bubble route immediately after the snap, that is a lurk designed to bait the RPO throw, so trust the run fit if the box stays light.
Usage Tips
Count the box pre-snap and use the bubble alert whenever you see six or more defenders inside the tackles since that signals a run blitz or heavy run fit.
Key the alert defender assigned to the bubble receiver, if he sits flat footed or cheats inside pre-snap, pull and throw the bubble immediately for a numbers advantage.
Use this play on early downs in normal 1st and 10 or 2nd and short situations to stay balanced and keep defenses honest against your run game.
Pair this with Inside Zone Split and Dbl Mtn Inside Zone Split from the same set so the defense cannot sit on the RPO read and has to respect true zone runs.
Against man coverage looks with no extra flat defender, give the ball on the zone read since the bubble route will not have room to work versus press man on the slot.
