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Football Library · Plays

Flood· 7v7 Flag

intermediateaka Sailaka Flood Concept
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Three receivers stretching ONE SIDE of the field at THREE depths — Corner deep (12-18 yds), Out at the second level (7-10 yds), Flat low (0-4 yds, typically the RB to the flood side). All on the SAME SIDE so the cornerback (high-low) and the flat defender are both stretched. Forces a single underneath defender to pick one. Beats Cover 3 and most rotated zones. Erhardt-Perkins / pro-style staple.

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Coaching breakdown

Flood — Three receivers stretching ONE SIDE of the field at THREE depths — Corner deep (12-18 yds), Out at the second level (7-10 yds), Flat low (0-4 yds, typically the RB to the flood side). All on the SAME SIDE so the cornerback (high-low) and the flat defender are both stretched. Forces a single underneath defender to pick one. Beats Cover 3 and most rotated zones. Erhardt-Perkins / pro-style staple. reads Spread Doubles: take the open window — work the progression below in order.

Progression:

  1. 14-yd corner — back-pylon attack — vacates the curl/flat window for the next read.
  2. 4-yd flat — low element of the high-low — the throw if the curl defender drops.
  3. 15-yd go — clear the deep safety; throw if the corner gives a soft shoulder.
  4. 8-yd out — snap to the sideline — sideline outlet on the corner's leverage.
  5. 3-yd drag — settle in the underneath window — keep eyes on the QB.

When to call it

Best vs Cover 3 and two-deep zones alike — the same-side, three-level stretch high-lows the corner and puts the curl-flat defender in conflict, which is why the sail/flood beats Cover 2, Tampa 2, and Cover 3. It's contested against quarters (Cover 4), which keeps four defenders over the top.

When not to use

Avoid it vs tight man across the board — the same-side stretch doesn't create the rubs man coverage struggles with — and vs quarters (Cover 4), which keeps four defenders deep to cap the corner. It gives up the backside, so it's not the call when you expect weak-side pressure.

How to adjust for situations

Throw it high-to-low off the flat defender: he jumps the flat, the out is open; he carries the out, the flat hits. The deep corner must hit the numbers, not the hash, and the flat should declare first so the underneath defender commits. The backside route is the man/scramble outlet.

Common mistakes

  • Routes stack vertically instead of stretching flat-to-deep — one defender can cover them all.
  • Deep route runs at the wrong landmark; should be at the numbers, not the hash.
  • Flat releases too late; should be the first route to declare so the underneath defender commits.

Strong / weak against

Strong against

  • Cover 2 — The deep sideline 'honey hole' behind the corner and in front of the safety (corner route)
  • Tampa 2 — The two deep 'honey holes' outside the hashes — behind the corner, in front of the safety (corner route)
  • Cover 3 — The flats — four underneath defenders can't cover all five underneath zones (curl-flat / slant-flat)

Contested