Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Curls out of Shotgun Y Trips Offset sends the backside single receiver on a hitch style stop route while the trips side stacks a curl from the outside receiver, an over route from the middle slot working across the field, and the inline TE running an option route into the flat/curl area underneath. The HB stays in to help pass protect against the front, making this a five man protection look built to hold up against blitzes. It is primarily a zone beater, using the curl and dig combo to settle into soft spots between the underneath and deep zone defenders, with the primary read starting on the middle over route working across the field before working back to the outside curl and finally the checkdown stop route.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a two deep shell or single high safety look, since Curls thrives against zone shells with soft underneath coverage. Watch the middle linebacker or nickel defender depth at the snap; if they sink deep into the curl window immediately, the quarterback should reroute to the backside stop route. Key on any user controlled defender sitting in the shallow crosser lane, since a lurking defender can jump the over route and create a turnover opportunity against this concept. Man coverage with press corners and no help over the top is the best way to shut this down, since the curl and stop routes lack immediate separation against tight man technique. Watch for disguised blitzes that bring extra rushers off the edge, since the five man protection can be overloaded if the defense sends more rushers than blockers available.
Usage Tips
Use this on second or third and medium when you expect zone coverage since the curl and over combo is designed to find soft spots against Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells.
Pre-snap, check the strength of the trips side alignment; if the defense shows two high safeties with a single deep hole player, prioritize the crossing over route since it will have room to settle before the linebackers can wall it off.
Hot route the backside stop route into a fade or slant if you see a corner playing off leverage in man coverage, since the stop concept alone will not threaten a hard press corner.
Pair this play with Four Verticals or PA Zone Shot from the same set to keep the defense honest; if they start sitting hard on the underneath curls, punish them with a vertical shot off the same formation look.
Keep an eye on the extra protection from the HB since it allows you to climb the pocket and buy time for the over route to develop across the field on true drop back reads.
