Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Strong Flood is run out of Shotgun Y Trips Wk and stacks three vertical stems into one flooded zone to the trips side, classic three level flood concept designed to gash Cover 3 and other zone shells. The outside receiver runs a deep corner route stretching the flat defender vertically, the middle trips receiver runs a vertical seam/wheel that clears the intermediate zone, and the inside slot receiver runs a quick out into the flat to occupy the underneath defender, while the backside receiver runs a slant/drag away from the flood to hold the opposite corner. The primary read progression starts with the flat defender: if he sinks with the corner route, throw underneath to the flat route; if he stays low, work the corner route or the vertical seam behind him.
Defensive Reads
Identify two deep safeties pre snap as your first indicator of Cover 3 or Cover 4, both of which this flood concept is designed to punish with the three level stretch to the trips side. Key the flat defender post snap, he cannot cover both the flat route and the corner route, and his decision tells you where the throwing window opens. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in a lurk position underneath the seam or corner route, a smart user will jump the flood concept and rob the throwing lane, so have a checkdown or backside slant ready. Man coverage with press corners on the trips receivers is the biggest counter to this play since it eliminates the natural spacing the flood relies on, expect the quarterback to hold the ball longer and take a hit if the offense does not adjust. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can collapse the pocket before the deeper corner route or seam route fully develop, so watch for overload blitzes to the flood side as a sign the defense wants to force a quick, low value throw.
Usage Tips
Diagnose the coverage shell pre snap by checking safety depth, if you see two deep safeties sitting at 10-12 yards with cornerbacks squatting on routes you are likely facing zone and Strong Flood will stress the flooded side hard.
Use the flat route as your alert throw on early downs and third and short since it comes out fastest and beats underneath zone drops before the corner or seam even fully develops.
If the defense shows man coverage with press corners, hot route the backside slant into a quicker option or check into Y Trail or Stick from this same set since Strong Flood is built to attack zone drops rather than tight man leverage.
Pair this play with Curls X Go or Four Verticals in your play calling sequence, running Strong Flood early to bait the defense into sinking underneath defenders, then coming back with a vertical shot once you see the same zone shell.
Watch the flat defender post snap, if he widens immediately with the flat route you have a clean window to hit the corner route over the top for a explosive gain.
