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offense / intermediate pass
An outside high-low that places a curl behind the defender responsible for the flat.
Animated assignment view
The quarterback selects the side with the softer corner and clearer curl-flat conflict defender.
Ball: center
How it works
The outside receiver pushes vertically and returns on a curl while an inside receiver releases to the flat. The quarterback reads the outside underneath defender and uses the corner's depth to confirm the throw.
Create a dependable intermediate completion against three-deep and spot-drop zone structures.
Drive the corner vertically before returning downhill.
One receiver stops behind a defender while another runs in front of him. The quarterback throws to the level the defender leaves open.
The curl must return downhill on schedule; drifting laterally shortens the throwing lane and lets the corner overlap from above.
Decision point
The curl sits behind the flat defender while the flat route runs below him; the corner's depth confirms whether the curl window is safe.
Throw on the receiver's break when the flat defender widens and the corner stays deep.
medium riskDeliver underneath when the flat defender sinks beneath the curl.
low riskMove away from the sideline when both defenders overlap the concept.
high risk{
"schema": "openplay-football",
"schemaVersion": "0.1",
"id": "curl-flat",
"slug": "curl-flat",
"name": "Curl-Flat",
"side": "offense",
"category": "intermediate-pass",
"personnel": {
"id": "eleven-personnel",
"name": "11 Personnel",
"grouping": "1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR",
"positionCounts": {
"QB": 1,
"RB": 1,
"WR": 3,
"TE": 1,
"OL": 5
}
},
"formation": {
"id": "gun-doubles",
"name": "Gun Doubles",
"family": "shotgun",
"strength": "balanced",
"description": "Balanced width creates room to stretch either outside zone defender vertically."
},
"situationTags": [
"second-and-medium",
"zone-beater",
"sideline"
],
"players": [
{
"id": "qb",
"position": "QB",
"label": "QB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -5
},
"alignment": "Shotgun",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "quarterback"
},
{
"id": "rb",
"position": "RB",
"label": "RB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 31,
"y": -6
},
"alignment": "Offset right",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "runningBack"
},
{
"id": "x",
"position": "WR",
"label": "X",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 5,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide left",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "h",
"position": "WR",
"label": "H",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 17,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Left slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "y",
"position": "TE",
"label": "Y",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 36,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Right slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "tightEnds"
},
{
"id": "z",
"position": "WR",
"label": "Z",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 48,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide right",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "lt",
"position": "LT",
"label": "LT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 21,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "lg",
"position": "LG",
"label": "LG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 24,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "c",
"position": "C",
"label": "C",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rg",
"position": "RG",
"label": "RG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 29.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rt",
"position": "RT",
"label": "RT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 32.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
}
],
"preSnap": {
"description": "The quarterback selects the side with the softer corner and clearer curl-flat conflict defender.",
"shifts": []
},
"assignments": [
{
"id": "z-curl",
"playerId": "z",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3300,
"coachingPoint": "Drive the corner vertically before returning downhill.",
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 48,
"y": 12
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 45,
"y": 10
}
}
],
"landmark": "Twelve yards outside",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 1
},
{
"id": "y-flat",
"playerId": "y",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 2700,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 41,
"y": 0
},
"to": {
"x": 47,
"y": 3
}
}
],
"landmark": "Right numbers",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 2
},
{
"id": "x-curl",
"playerId": "x",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3300,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 5,
"y": 12
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 8,
"y": 10
}
}
],
"landmark": "Twelve yards outside",
"arrowhead": true
},
{
"id": "h-flat",
"playerId": "h",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 2700,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 12,
"y": 0
},
"to": {
"x": 6,
"y": 3
}
}
],
"landmark": "Left numbers",
"arrowhead": true
},
{
"id": "rb-middle-check",
"playerId": "rb",
"type": "check-release",
"check": "Scan interior pressure, then settle over the ball.",
"releasePath": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 28,
"y": 4
}
}
]
},
{
"id": "center-curl-protection",
"playerId": "c",
"type": "pass-protection",
"responsibility": "Anchor the middle of a five-man dropback protection.",
"technique": "Vertical set"
}
],
"decisionPoint": {
"id": "read-curl-flat",
"triggerTimeMs": 2350,
"prompt": "How should the quarterback stretch the outside defender?",
"explanation": "The curl sits behind the flat defender while the flat route runs below him; the corner's depth confirms whether the curl window is safe.",
"options": [
{
"id": "throw-curl",
"label": "Drive the curl",
"description": "Throw on the receiver's break when the flat defender widens and the corner stays deep.",
"intendedRead": "The intermediate sideline window opens.",
"riskLevel": "medium"
},
{
"id": "throw-flat",
"label": "Check down to the flat",
"description": "Deliver underneath when the flat defender sinks beneath the curl.",
"intendedRead": "The defender concedes short outside space.",
"riskLevel": "low"
},
{
"id": "reset-middle",
"label": "Reset to the middle checkdown",
"description": "Move away from the sideline when both defenders overlap the concept.",
"intendedRead": "Corner and flat defender bracket both routes.",
"riskLevel": "high"
}
]
},
"timeline": [
{
"type": "pre-snap",
"atMs": 0
},
{
"type": "snap",
"atMs": 500
},
{
"type": "assignment-start",
"atMs": 550,
"playerId": "z"
},
{
"type": "route-break",
"atMs": 2050,
"playerId": "z"
},
{
"type": "decision-pause",
"atMs": 2350,
"decisionPointId": "read-curl-flat"
},
{
"type": "ball-release",
"atMs": 2800,
"targetPlayerId": "z"
},
{
"type": "play-end",
"atMs": 4300
}
],
"narrative": {
"summary": "An outside high-low that places a curl behind the defender responsible for the flat.",
"fullExplanation": "The outside receiver pushes vertically and returns on a curl while an inside receiver releases to the flat. The quarterback reads the outside underneath defender and uses the corner's depth to confirm the throw.",
"strategicPurpose": "Create a dependable intermediate completion against three-deep and spot-drop zone structures.",
"idealSituations": [
"Second and medium",
"Against Cover 3",
"Near a sideline"
],
"strengths": [
"Clear high-low read",
"Curl settles near the sticks",
"Flat provides a safe outlet"
],
"weaknesses": [
"Cloud corners can squeeze both levels",
"Late throws to the curl invite interceptions"
],
"keyRead": "Read the outside underneath defender from flat to curl, then confirm the corner has not driven downhill.",
"watchFor": [
"The receiver selling vertical",
"The flat defender's depth",
"The curl breaking back to the ball"
],
"beginnerExplanation": "One receiver stops behind a defender while another runs in front of him. The quarterback throws to the level the defender leaves open.",
"advancedNote": "The curl must return downhill on schedule; drifting laterally shortens the throwing lane and lets the corner overlap from above."
},
"simulation": {
"difficulty": "intermediate",
"conceptTags": [
"intermediate-pass",
"curl-flat",
"vertical-stretch"
],
"baseSuccessRate": 0.59,
"yardRange": {
"min": -8,
"max": 38
},
"turnoverRisk": 0.034
}
}