Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Curls out of Strong I Y Open Flex is a curl-heavy passing concept designed to attack zone coverage with layered stops. The backside receiver runs a vertical curl at the top of his stem, the TE (blue route) works a shallow curl/settle in the middle of the field, and the outside receiver to the strong side runs a deep crosser that sits down or continues across the field, while the flanker in the backfield area runs a short curl off the line. Blocking is a standard drop back protection with the offensive line holding up front, giving the quarterback a full progression from the deep crosser to the curls underneath. This is a zone beater built to find soft spots between linebacker and safety zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep crosser first against two high safety shells, since it settles in soft spots on Cover 2 or Cover 4. Check the middle linebacker depth pre-snap, shallow drops signal Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone drops that widen the void for the curl routes. Watch for user controlled defenders sitting in the middle hook zone, this is the primary threat against the TE curl and can bait you into a costly throw. Against man coverage look for the flanker curl to be undercovered, especially if the defense shows blitz with a linebacker creeping toward the line pre-snap. If the safeties rotate hard to one side post-snap, expect a Cover 3 buzz call, which favors throwing into the void away from the rotation on the deep crosser or opposite curl.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and medium to third and long when you expect zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or single high, since curls settle nicely into the voids of both shells but the deep crosser is your best answer versus two high.
Hot route the flanker running the short curl into a flat route if you see man coverage with a corner playing outside leverage, this gives you an easy check down versus blitz.
Combine this play with PA Slide or PA Shot in the same set to keep the defense honest on run fits before coming back to Curls to exploit zone drops.
Sequence this play after HB Dive or Inside Zone to bait linebackers into stepping up, opening throwing lanes into the shallow curl and deep crosser.
