Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curls Combo out of Shotgun Y Trips Wk sends the backside X on a vertical release straight up the sideline while the trips side stacks two curl routes: the outside receiver breaks off around 12 yards and the inside slot curls underneath around 6 to 8 yards, with the TE running a quick out breaking to the sideline off the line. This is a zone beater built to attack the soft spots between underneath defenders and deep zone drops, using the stacked curls to create a natural high low read on any zone defender sitting in the flat or hook area. Your primary progression starts with the outside curl on the trips side, works down to the inside curl for the sit read against zone, then checks the backside go route on the single receiver side if the defense rotates coverage away from trips.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment over the trips side, since a two high shell with soft corners signals the curl windows will be open for the high low read. Watch the flat defender on the trips side after the snap, because if he sinks with the outside curl the underneath sit route becomes wide open for an easy completion. Key the backside cornerback on the single receiver route, since if he bails deep at the snap it confirms zone and tells you the vertical go route is not the answer this play. User controlled defenders sitting in the short middle or hook zone are the biggest threat to this concept, so if you see a defender spying the inside curl lane, come off it immediately and reset to the outside curl or checkdown. Against man coverage or Cover 0 blitz looks, this play loses value fast since there is no natural pick to spring the curls, so audible or hot route before the snap if you diagnose man from the alignment.
Usage Tips
Look for two high safety shells before the snap because this concept thrives against zone coverage where linebackers and corners have to sink into curl windows. If you see man coverage with no safety help over the trips side, hot route the inside curl into a slant or dig to beat the natural pick and separation from a tighter man defender. Use this on second and long or third and medium situations where the defense expects a checkdown or short zone drop, since the double curl stack punishes shallow zone drops. Pair this with Curls X Go from the same set to keep defenders honest, since the vertical shot off the same look forces safeties to respect the deep ball before you come back to the curls. Against zone blitz packages, get through your first read fast and dump to the sit route underneath before the extra rusher closes the pocket.
