Beats Cover 2
Smash
Smash puts a short hitch and a deep corner route on the same side of the field.
Open in the play designer7 on 7 flag football plays
7 on 7 flag football plays have room for full passing concepts, because the offense has more receivers to work with. The 7v7 flag football plays here include passes built to beat Cover 2 and Cover 3, a run, and both of those coverages on defense.
8 plays
7v7 pass plays
Beats Cover 3
Four verticals
Four verticals, or 4 verts, sends four receivers straight up the field at the same time.
Open in the play designerBeats zone
Levels
Levels stacks two in-breaking routes on the same side, one at 5 yards and one at 10.
Open in the play designerQuick pass
Bubble screen
The bubble screen is a quick throw to Y near the right sideline with two teammates in front of him.
Open in the play designerBeats man
Mesh
Mesh crosses the two slots a few yards past the line of scrimmage, close enough to touch shoulders.
Open in the play designerBeats zone
Flood
Flood sends three receivers to the right side at three depths.
Open in the play designerEasy completion
Stick
Stick is a 5-yard completion you can call on any down.
Open in the play designerBeats Cover 3
Curl-flat
Curl-flat runs the same two-man combination on both sides.
Open in the play designer2 plays
7v7 defenses
What changes in 7v7 flag football plays
With seven players the defense has enough people to play named coverages. You will see Cover 2, with two deep safeties, and Cover 3, with three deep defenders. Each one has a known weak spot, and the plays here are tagged with the coverage they beat.
The offense has enough receivers to run a two-man or three-man combination on one side and still keep someone on the other. The quarterback reads one defender and throws to the receiver that defender leaves.
Best flag football plays for 7 on 7 against Cover 2 and Cover 3
Smash is the Cover 2 play. The outside receivers hitch and the slots run corner routes behind them. The corner route comes open in the hole between the cornerback and the safety.
Against Cover 3, call curl-flat or four verticals. Curl-flat puts a 10-yard curl and a flat route on the same defender. Four verticals sends four receivers deep against three deep defenders, and the quarterback throws to the seam the middle safety leaves.
Easy 7v7 plays for a first practice
Stick, bubble screen and curl-flat are the three to teach first. In stick, Y runs 5 yards and sits while H runs to the flat under him. The quarterback throws to whichever one the flat defender leaves.
The sweep is the run. F takes the handoff and heads for the right sideline while everyone else runs a route to pull a defender away. Levels, flood and mesh can come later, once the quarterback is comfortable reading one defender.
7 on 7 flag football plays FAQ
What is the best defense for 7 on 7 flag football?
Cover 3 is a good place to start. Three defenders each take a deep third and four play underneath, so it is hard to throw deep against. It leaves the flats open, so drill flag pulling on short catches.
What is the difference between 7v7 and 5v5 flag football plays?
Two more players on each side. The offense can run full route combinations and the defense can keep two or three defenders deep. Reads matter more in 7v7 because there are more defenders in the passing lanes.
How many plays should a 7 on 7 flag football team have?
Eight to ten is plenty for most youth teams. Carry at least one play for Cover 2, one for Cover 3, one for man coverage and one run.
What 7 on 7 play works against man coverage?
Mesh. H and Y cross in the middle of the field shoulder to shoulder, and one of them comes open when the defenders trail. Against zone the same crossers sit down in the first open window.
Free flag football play designer
Open the play designerDraw your own flag football plays
Start from any play on this page or a blank field. Give each player a route, watch it run, and print it on wristbands. The flag football play designer page shows how it works, and there are more free tools on the football coaching tools page.