Playbooks

Dash Curl Flat

Shotgun·Wing Trio·11

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 2 playbooks

Raiders OffenseOffenseNFL Live Raiders OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Dash Curl Flat out of Shotgun Wing Trio is a quick-hitting zone beater built to attack the underneath voids in Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells. The concept pairs a curl route with a flat route to the same side, forming a natural high-low read on the flat defender while a backside dig or drag gives you a bailout against man coverage. Primary progression starts with the curl to flat read, then works to the backside crosser if the underneath defenders sink deep or trigger the flat.

Defensive Reads

Read the flat defender first since his depth and width tell you whether he is sitting in zone or trailing the flat receiver in man Identify two deep safeties pre-snap, which usually means Cover 2 or Cover 4 and opens the curl route in the seam between levels Watch linebacker depth at the snap, since shallow drops mean they are keying the flat while deeper drops open the curl sitting down This play struggles against Cover 3 sky with an aggressive flat defender jumping the route combo, so be ready to reset to the backside dig Beware disguised blitzes where the flat defender crashes as a nano blitzer, since that leaves the curl route uncovered against man coverage behind it

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion to check if the defense shifts to man or stays static, since a flat defender staying home signals zone coverage

Attack this play on second and medium or third and short, when defenses often sit in shorter zone drops instead of pressing coverage

Hot route the flat defender into a quick out if you see press man on the flat receiver, giving your quarterback a faster release option

Pair this call with PA All Curl to sell the same route stems off play action once the defense starts jumping the curl flat combo

Sequence this play after Stick or Mesh Spot so linebackers start cheating up on shorter routes, opening the curl window over the middle

Other Plays in Wing Trio