These are original plays built on standard football concepts, drawn from data for this page. They are not any league's official playbook. Flag football runs on many rulesets, so every play that depends on a rule says so; check the rules your league plays before you install it. Playing 7v7? See the 7v7 plays.
5v5 quick passing plays
- 1
Slant-flat
Quick game · Ages 7-8 and up
The first play to install at any age. Two receivers on one side run a slant and a flat, and the quarterback reads the defender between them.
Reads
- Watch the defender nearest the flat. If she widens with the flat route, throw the slant.
- If she sits inside on the slant, throw the flat.
- The center's hitch at 5 yards is the outlet.
Coaching points
- The slant is three steps then cut. Do not drift upfield.
- The flat route gets width first. Stay close to the line on the way out.
In your stats: A Comp to the slant or flat receiver, with the defender who made the flag pull and the spot. Most of the yards come after the catch.
- 2
Jet fake seam
Quick game · Ages 9-10 and up
Show the jet sweep and fake the handoff. Then throw to the slot running deep behind the defenders who bit on the fake.
Reads
- Fake to the motion player and look straight at the seam.
- If a defender stayed home on the seam, throw the go to the outside.
Coaching points
- Only works once the sweep has worked. Call it after the defense starts chasing the motion.
- The fake has to look like the real thing: same motion, same timing.
In your stats: A Comp to the seam, usually a long one. Compare it with the jet sweep's Rush yards to see if the fake is worth running.
5v5 plays against man defense
- 3
Mesh
Vs man · Ages 11-12 and up
2 receivers cross under the defense at different depths. Man defenders have to chase through traffic, so someone gets open.
Reads
- Find the crosser who has a step on her defender and hit her in stride.
- If both are covered, the corner route behind them.
- Center sits at 7 as the last option.
Coaching points
- One crosser at 2 yards, one at 4. They pass each other; they never run into a defender on purpose. Picks are offensive pass interference.
- Keep running after the cross. A crosser who stops is easy to cover.
In your stats: Comps with yards after the catch, because crossers catch the ball on the move. The flag pull credit tells you which defender chased it down.
5v5 plays against zone defense
- 4
Stick
Vs zone · Ages 9-10 and up
The slot stops at 5 yards in the gap between zone defenders. A flat route runs under her. A go route clears the top.
Reads
- Throw the stick if the underneath defender drops away from her.
- If the underneath defender sits on the stick, throw the flat.
- Backside dig if the defense rolls everything to the stick side.
Coaching points
- The stick turns to face the quarterback and sits. Against man, she keeps running to the outside.
- The go route has to be a real go, or the deep defender sits on the stick.
In your stats: Usually a short Comp. Over a season, these catches show how often your quarterback finds the open spot in a zone.
- 5
Smash
Vs zone · Ages 9-10 and up
A hitch under a corner route on the same side puts two receivers on one defender. Built to beat two-deep zone coverage.
Reads
- Watch the cornerback. If she sinks with the corner route, throw the hitch.
- If she jumps the hitch, throw the corner over her.
- Backside hitch if the defense rolls to the smash side.
Coaching points
- The corner route breaks at 8 and heads for the back pylon.
- Throw the corner high and outside, where only the receiver can catch it.
In your stats: A short Comp to the hitch or a long one to the corner. Both log the same way; the spot you drop the ball on does the yardage.
- 6
Flood
Vs zone · Ages 11-12 and up
3 receivers flood 1 side at 3 depths: deep, middle and short. The zone has more receivers than defenders on that side.
Reads
- Deep if the deep defender stays inside.
- The out at 8 yards if the deep defender runs with the go.
- The flat if both drop.
Coaching points
- The three routes have to be at three different depths, or it is two routes and a crowd.
- A quarterback who can roll to the flood side makes the reads shorter.
In your stats: A Comp to whichever level opens. Run it a few times and the box score shows you which depth your opponent's zone leaves open.
- 7
Curl-flat
Vs zone · Ages 5-6 and up
Receivers run 6 yards and curl back to the quarterback while the slot runs to the flat. Simple, safe and good against soft zones.
Reads
- Throw the curl if the flat defender chases the flat route.
- Throw the flat if she sits on the curl.
- The center's sit over the middle is the outlet.
Coaching points
- Curls come back toward the ball. Receivers who drift away get picked off.
- For young teams, run it to one side only and call it by the side.
In your stats: Short Comps that keep the chains moving. If curls start showing up as INTs, the defense is sitting on them; switch to a go.
- 8
Verticals
Vs zone · Ages 9-10 and up
Three receivers run straight downfield to stretch the defense deep, and the center sits underneath as the safe throw.
Reads
- Throw the seam if the middle of the field is open.
- Throw to the outside go if a defender is beaten over the top.
- Center underneath if everyone is covered deep.
Coaching points
- Spread out: the seam stays between the outside receivers, not on top of them.
- Use it after the defense has started creeping up on short routes.
In your stats: A big Comp when it hits, often a TD, and an Inc when it misses. Expect a lower completion rate and more yards per completion.
5v5 run plays
- 9
Jet sweep
Run · Ages 7-8 and up
A receiver runs in motion across the formation, takes a handoff at full speed and races for the far edge.
Reads
- Hand the ball off as the motion passes the quarterback. Do not wait for her.
- The runner aims for the sideline and turns upfield as soon as there is room.
Coaching points
- Time the snap so the motion player is near the quarterback when the ball arrives.
- Everyone else runs their routes hard, so defenders follow them and not the ball.
Check your rules: Run plays depend on your rules. Many rulebooks have pass-only spots near the goal line or midfield. Some limit handoffs. Some do not let the quarterback run past the line. Check your rules first. Flag football rules
In your stats: A Rush for the ball carrier, with the defender who made the flag pull and where she stopped. The app counts the yards.
5v5 trick plays
- 10
Hook and lateral
Trick · Ages 11-12 and up
A receiver catches a short pass and turns. As the defense closes in, she pitches the ball back to a teammate running behind her.
Reads
- Throw the hook on time, as the receiver turns around.
- The trailer stays a few yards behind and outside. The pitch must go backward.
Coaching points
- Rep the pitch in practice until it is boring. A dropped lateral is a live ball in some rulesets and a dead one in others.
- Save it for when you need a big play. It works once a game.
Check your rules: Laterals and pitches are legal behind the line in some rulesets and illegal everywhere in others. Check your rules before you call it. Flag football rules
In your stats: A Comp, with the flag pull and the spot where the run finally ended. Trick plays are rare, so check them in the feed after the game.
- 11
Double pass
Trick · Ages 11-12 and up
The quarterback tosses the ball back to a receiver behind the line. That receiver throws the real pass downfield to the center.
Reads
- The first throw must be backward or flat. A forward first throw makes the second one illegal.
- The second passer looks for the center running deep on the far side.
Coaching points
- Pick a second passer who can actually throw. Rep it in practice.
- Throw the first pass early, before the rusher gets there.
Check your rules: Laterals and pitches are legal behind the line in some rulesets and illegal everywhere in others. Check your rules before you call it. Flag football rules
In your stats: A Comp to the receiver who caught the deep ball. You can edit any play from the feed until the game is final. So you can give the passing credit to the receiver who threw it.
5v5 flag football defense
- 12
Man with one rusher
Defense · Ages 5-6 and up
Four defenders each cover one receiver anywhere she goes, and one player rushes the quarterback. The easiest defense to teach.
Rules
- Every defender says her receiver's number out loud before the snap.
- Stay with your receiver until the ball is thrown, then go to the ball.
- The rusher goes on the snap and goes for the quarterback's flag.
Coaching points
- Match speed to speed. Your fastest defender takes their fastest receiver.
- No hands on receivers. Turn and run with her.
Check your rules: How far back the rusher starts, and how many players may rush, are set by your ruleset. Flag football rules
In your stats: Flag pulls for every defender, sacks for the rusher, and interceptions. At Olympic Level you also see pass breakups for each defender.
- 13
Two-deep zone
Defense · Ages 9-10 and up
Two defenders split the deep field in half, two cover the short flats, and one rushes. Nothing gets thrown over the top.
Rules
- Deep defenders: stay deeper than the deepest receiver in your half.
- Flat defenders: sink to 5 yards, then break on anything thrown short.
- Everyone watches the quarterback, not a receiver.
Coaching points
- The weak spot is the middle between the deep defenders. Squeeze it.
- Rally to the ball. In zone, the second defender to arrive makes the flag pull.
Check your rules: How far back the rusher starts, and how many players may rush, are set by your ruleset. Flag football rules
In your stats: Interceptions in the deep halves, flag pulls on short completions. If opponents complete a lot of passes for short gains, the zone is doing its job.
How plays show up in your stats
Every pass play ends as a completion or an incompletion, every run as a rush, and every defensive stop as a flag pull, interception or sack. Stat your games in the BreakAway app and after a few weeks you can see which plays your team actually gains yards on. Practice each one with a practice plan for your age group, and read the how to stat guide or these lessons before game day:
