Playbooks
Jets Curl is a trips-based curl concept out of the Shotgun Y Off Trips Pats set designed to attack zone coverage with a triangle stretch on one side of the field. The trips receivers work curl routes at varying depths while the backside runs a complementary route to hold the safety, creating natural throwing lanes underneath and intermediate zone drops. This is primarily a zone beater, and the primary read progression starts with the deepest curl to the trips side, then works down to the shorter curl or flat option if linebackers sink into the passing lanes.
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment since a two-high shell with linebackers stacked underneath signals Cover 4 or Cover 2, both of which are vulnerable to the curl sitting between levels. Watch for cornerbacks pressed on the trips receivers, which usually indicates man coverage where the curl routes will get jumped or trailed closely. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's drop since a hard sink into the deep curl lane means the underneath flat or shorter curl becomes the higher percentage throw. Be wary of user-controlled defenders lurking in the shallow zone who can jump the underneath curl route, so double check the flat before committing to the shorter option. This play struggles against aggressive Cover 1 robber or Cover 3 sky looks where a defender sits directly in the intermediate throwing window, so have a hot route or check down ready if you see that shell pre-snap.
Use pre-snap motion or a hot route check to identify if the defense is showing zone or man before the snap since curls sit in soft spots against zone but get squeezed hard against man coverage. Look for Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers sitting in intermediate zones, then attack the seams between the curl routes and the underneath defenders. On third and medium situations this play shines because the sticks routes give you multiple layered options against zone drops. Pair this call with Jets Crosses or Pats Cross in the same set to keep defenders guessing between curl-flat combos and crossing patterns, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their zone drops. If you see man coverage pre-snap, consider hot routing the shortest curl into a quick out or checking down to the HB Mid Draw or WR Screen from this same set to punish aggressive man defenders.