Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
X Curl out of Singleback Wing Slot 12 personnel shows a five man protection with both TEs and the wing releasing into the pattern. The X receiver runs the namesake curl at intermediate depth, the slot TE runs a deep corner route up the numbers, the wing TE runs a flat route underneath, and the backside receiver runs a deep drag across the field with a vertical stem from the inline TE clearing space. This is a zone beater built to attack the void behind underneath linebackers and in front of deep safeties, with the corner and drag stretching the defense horizontally while the curl sits down in the intermediate window. Primary read progression starts with the X curl against soft zone, works to the corner route if the flat defender jumps the underneath throw, and comes back to the backside drag as the checkdown against heavy coverage over the top.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth pre-snap, if the underneath defenders are sitting shallow at five yards or less the curl route will have a soft window to work into against zone coverage. Key the flat defender after the snap, if he widens with the wing TE release immediately to the curl since that throwing lane opens up right behind him. Identify cover 3 or cover 4 shells by safety alignment before the snap, both shells struggle to cover the deep corner and the curl simultaneously because the flat and curl to hook defenders get outnumbered. Beware of user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow middle, since they can jump the backside drag route if the quarterback holds the ball too long. This concept struggles against man coverage with an aggressive blitz, since the curl route has to sit and wait against tight man leverage, so check for nano blitz indicators pre-snap and be ready to hot route the wing TE into a quick release.
Usage Tips
Use this against off man or zone shells where the corner is giving a cushion of seven yards or more, since the curl sits down right in that soft spot and creates an easy pitch and catch.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is in a two high shell or single high, because against single high the corner route from the slot TE has a better chance to win over the top on a rotated safety.
Hot route the flat TE into a quick out if you see a linebacker sitting directly on top of him, this clears the underneath area and speeds up your first read.
Best called on second and medium to third and short situations where the sticks sit right at the curl depth, giving you a built in conversion route.
Pair this with PA Y Cross Flood or PA Sail Dig from the same set to keep the defense honest, since both plays attack similar horizontal stretch concepts off different run action and disguise your intentions pre-snap.
