Playbooks

Curl Flat

Pistol·Bunch·11

Flat Curl Curl Flat Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Curl Flat from Pistol Bunch in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetBunch

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

Curl Flat out of Pistol Bunch runs a two-man combo to the closed side, with the bunch receiver on the line breaking off a flat route while the middle bunch receiver climbs vertically before settling into a curl at intermediate depth. The backside receiver runs a flat route into the boundary as a checkdown or hot route option away from the bunch action. This is a classic Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater that stresses the flat defender and curl/hook defender with a high low read, so the primary progression starts with the curl sitting down in the zone window before working down to the flat route underneath it.

Defensive Reads

Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties are vulnerable here because the flat defender has to choose between the flat route and the curl sitting behind him. Cover 3 with a single high safety also struggles because the curl route settles right into the hole between the underneath zone defenders and the deep third defender. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, since shallow linebackers who jump the flat leave the curl wide open, while linebackers sitting deep leave the flat throw available for an easy completion. Man coverage with no help over the top can shut this down quickly, especially if the defense uses a nano blitz or user controlled defender to jump the curl route before it settles. Watch for a user controlled safety sitting in the hook or curl zone, since a heads up defender will sink and rob the curl route, forcing you to check down to the backside flat route instead.

Usage Tips

Identify pre snap whether the defense is showing Cover 2 or Cover 3 by reading the safeties, since this concept is built to attack the flat defender and curl defender in those shells.

Work your primary read to the curl route first because it settles into the soft spot behind the underneath defenders and in front of the deep coverage, giving you a reliable pocket to throw into against zone.

If the corner jumps the flat route, come off your progression fast and hit the curl behind him for an explosive gain.

Use the backside flat route as a checkdown or hot route into a quick out if the defense brings pressure off that edge, since it gives you an outlet against zone blitzes.

Pair this play with Mesh or Slant Spacing in the same set to keep defenders guessing between quick zone beaters and man beating crossing routes, forcing linebackers to declare their coverage responsibilities before the snap.