Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Curls out of Weak I Slot Open is a 20 personnel dropback pass built around a curl route combo to the trips/slot side and a vertical seam clearer on the boundary. The X receiver at the top runs a go route to occupy the corner and safety deep, while underneath the two inside receivers settle into curls at the sticks and the running back releases into the flat as a checkdown. Read progression starts with the outside curl, works to the inside curl, and finishes with the running back in the flat, making this a zone beater that exploits soft spots between the underneath zone defenders.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and shell alignment since single high safety looks (Cover 3, Cover 1) leave the underneath curls vulnerable to zone drop windows. Watch the flat defender and outside linebacker leverage, since if they widen with the running back's flat route it opens up the inside curl for an easy conversion. If the defense shows off man coverage with no safety help over the top, the go route on the boundary can take the top off if the corner is playing soft. Key on a user controlled linebacker or safety sitting in the intermediate throwing lane, since that lurk defender can jump both curl routes if the quarterback stares them down. Cover 2 shells with hard corner flat drops can squeeze both curls, so be ready to check down to the running back if the underneath zone collapses quickly after the snap.
Usage Tips
Use this on third and medium (5 to 7 yards) since both curls settle right around the sticks and give you a built-in first down conversion.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 2 or Cover 3, since the curls sit down in the soft spots of both shells and give you easy completions against zone drops.
If the corner is playing press man, hot route the outside curl into a fade or speed out to counter aggressive jams and take advantage of the go route clearing space vertically.
Pair this play with HB Draw and Quick Slants earlier in a series to get the linebackers sitting on run fits and short routes, then hit the curls when they bite up and vacate the intermediate zone.
Use play action variants like PA Boot Slide or PA Power O from the same formation to disguise this dropback look and freeze linebackers before dropping back into curls.
