The Lions Playbook Ep. 5: The Screen Game

Tunnel Screen

The tunnel screen is another variant of a WR screen designed to get the ball carrier into the middle of the field. The receivers will often shoot vertical off the snap, and the screen receiver will break his route inside underneath those vertical routes who will eventually become lead blockers.

A key component here is selling vertical routes but also the play side tackle’s role changes. Because the ball in being thrown to the center of the field, the tackle will cut the legs of the pass rusher to get them to fall. This opens up the passing lane for the quarterback to deliver the strike, Without a successful cut block, this ball gets batted and possibly intercepted.

Tate scores on a tunnel screen against the Los Angeles Rams. Watch the LT cut block to allow this play to even exist.