Red Zone Flag Football Plays 3 plays with diagrams
Near the goal line the field gets short, deep routes run out of room and, in leagues with no-run zones, the play has to be a pass. These are the plays whose own notes name the red zone, the end zone or a no-run zone.
Quick list: Smash (5v5), Stick (5v5), Post Wheel (7v7).
The no-run zone rule
- No-run zones are the 5 yards before midfield and the 5 yards before the goal line. (NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (revised March 24, 2025), section IV, Field)
- Inside a no-run zone the offense cannot run the ball across the line of scrimmage. The play must be a forward pass across the line. (NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (revised March 24, 2025), section IV, Field)
- NFL FLAG's guidelines for 8U and younger league play remove the no-run zones, so teams may run anywhere. 8U tournament play keeps them. (NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (revised March 24, 2025), section XVIII, 8U, 7U and 6U guidelines)
These are NFL FLAG rules. Other leagues set their own, so check yours.
Our pages for Double Back Dive and Jet Sweep say to keep those runs out of a no-run zone.
Smash (5 on 5)
When to call it: Against zone defenses with a cornerback who plays short, and in the red zone.
The outside receiver runs a 5-yard hitch while the inside receiver runs a corner route over the top. The cornerback can either sit on the hitch or run with the corner, not both.
Stick (5 on 5)
When to call it: Call it when the defense plays soft underneath or you need a quick, short throw well inside the 7-second clock. It is also a good call in a no-run zone when you need a safe completion.
Y runs a 5-yard stick and sits, turning slightly outside, while H runs to the flat on the same side and X clears deep. The one flat defender cannot cover both the stick and the flat, so the QB reads that defender and throws to the open receiver.
Post Wheel (7 on 7)
When to call it: Against man-to-man coverage, and near the end zone when the defense plays tight underneath.
The outside receiver runs a post toward the middle while the slot runs toward the flat and turns up the sideline on a wheel. The quarterback reads the wheel, post and short center outlet without forcing the deep throw.
Coaching the red zone call
- Count the yards to the back of the end zone before you call a deep route. A route that needs more field than that is wasted.
- Corner routes and quick outs aim at the corners of the end zone, away from the defenders in the middle.
- Have one quick, safe throw ready for the no-run zone so a covered first read does not turn into a sack or a forced pass.
Plays for other situations
- Short Yardage Flag Football Plays (6)
- Long Yardage Flag Football Plays (4)
- Third Down Flag Football Plays (3)
- Plays against zone defense and plays against man-to-man
Put your situation calls on one card: print them as a wristband playbook.