Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Curl Combo out of Singleback Trips 11 personnel gives you a five man route concept built around curl and hitch stops with a deep vertical shot on the backside. The backside X runs a go route up the boundary while the inline TE releases and settles into a shallow curl, and the trips side stacks a flat route, a quick out/curl combo, and a corner-breaking curl from the slot to attack multiple levels of the same zone. The lone RB stays in to help protect, and the concept is designed as a zone beater that also holds up against man thanks to the natural picks created by the stacked trips routes, with the primary read starting on the trips side curl/flat combo before working back to the backside go if the safety bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Watch the safety depth pre-snap, if both safeties are deep and off the ball you are likely seeing a zone shell that curl combo is designed to exploit in the soft spots. Post-snap, track the underneath linebacker or nickel defender assigned to the curl zone, if he sits and reads quarterback eyes he can jump the route and undercut the throw. User-controlled defenders sitting in a lurk technique near the trips side curl are the biggest threat to this concept, since a good user can bait the quarterback into a turnover. Against man coverage, look at cornerback alignment on the backside X, a press corner with no safety help over the top can shut down the go route and force you into the shorter curl and flat options. Blitz-heavy defenses that bring extra rushers can disrupt the timing of this play, so check for stacked boxes or overloaded fronts pre-snap and be ready to check into a quicker hot route or hand it off if the numbers favor the run.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a two high shell or single high look, since curl combo thrives against zone coverage that leaves soft spots between the linebackers and safeties.
Key the flat defender on the trips side first, if he sinks with the curl route the flat is wide open for an easy checkdown and yards after catch.
Use this play on second and medium or third and short to medium since the curl routes settle in quickly and give you a high floor completion against zone drops.
If you see man coverage pre-snap, be ready to work the backside go route against a cornerback playing off, especially on plays where the CB is not pressed at the line.
Pair this play with Stick or Slants from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick game and intermediate curl reads, then dial up PA Boot or PA Solid Corner off similar formation looks once you have their linebackers cheating on run fits.
