Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Curls out of the Strong I Tight set is a three level passing concept built to attack zone coverage with a true curl route from the backside X, a corner breaking route from the strongside tight end sneaking outside then vertical up the sideline, and a shallow drag underneath from the second inside receiver near the box. The lone running back stays in to check release and pick up any blitz through the middle, giving the quarterback a clean pocket to read the field. Primary progression starts with the deep corner breaking route as a shot play, then works down to the curl sitting in the intermediate zone, and finally checks down to the drag if both are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, if you see two safeties rotating to the strong side the corner route is going to be squeezed. Spy the strongside linebacker depth at the snap, a shallow drop signals zone and opens the window for the curl route sitting down. User a lurking safety or linebacker over the drag route to bait the quarterback into the checkdown and jump the throw. Watch the cornerback over the corner breaking route, if he sinks with outside leverage and gets safety help over the top this route is dead. Man coverage with no safety help deep is the biggest vulnerability, get depth on the corner route defender immediately or it turns into a big pass interference risk or explosive completion.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium to second and long when you need a chunk gain but still have a checkdown safety net.
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two deep safeties or single high, since the corner route wants a single high shell to work against.
If the cornerback is playing tight man on the corner route receiver, hot route him to a fade or speed out to win one on one before the safety can rotate over.
Pair this with Slants earlier in a series so the defense starts jumping shorter routes, then hit them with the deeper corner breaker off the same formation look.
Against zone shells, trust the curl route to sit down in the soft spot between the linebacker and cornerback drops rather than forcing the corner throw into a deep half safety.
