Playbooks
Curl Flat Corner
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Curl Flat Corner out of Singleback Trips Open puts three receivers to one side with the backside X running a quick out breaking underneath at the sticks. From the trips side, the inside slot runs a flat route into the boundary vacated by the corner, the middle receiver runs a curl that settles in the void at the sticks, and the outside receiver stems vertically before breaking into a corner route toward the sideline. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by stretching the flat defender and stacking the corner route over the curl to overload the deep quarter or deep third. Primary read progression starts with the flat route to see if the underneath defender widens, then works to the curl sitting in the seam, and finishes with the corner route as the deep shot if the safety bites on the curl.
Defensive Reads
Identify two high safeties pre snap since this alignment signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, both of which are vulnerable to the corner route sitting behind the cornerback. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he widens hard to cover the flat route the curl and corner routes will have more room to operate underneath and over the top. Key the cornerback on the trips side, if he sinks with the corner route the quarterback should already be progressing to the curl sitting in the void. Look for a user controlled safety rotating late to the trips side, this lurk threat can undercut the curl or jump the corner route if the quarterback is late on the throw. This concept struggles against a hard Cover 4 quarters shell where the corner route gets covered on top and outside, forcing the offense back down to the flat and out routes underneath.
Usage Tips
Check pre snap for two high safeties or a single high shell before the snap since this concept is built specifically to punish those looks.
Against Cover 2, target the corner route behind the cornerback and in front of the safety since the flat and curl will pull the underneath defenders away from that window.
Against Cover 3, work the curl to flat progression quickly because the deep third defender will have help over the top on the corner route.
Use the backside X out route as a built in answer versus man coverage or blitz looks where you need a quick, high percentage completion.
Pair this play with Four Verticals or PA FL Stretch from the same set to keep defenses honest, then come back to Curl Flat Corner once you see the defense sitting on shorter routes.
