Playbooks

Slant Spacing

Pistol·Bunch·11
SlantSpacingPass PlayCover 3 BeaterCover 4 Beater
Play diagram for Slant Spacing from Pistol Bunch in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

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Breakdown

Slant Spacing out of Pistol Bunch lines up three receivers tight to the formation with a lone receiver split to the backside running a quick out and up. From the bunch, one receiver hits a quick slant underneath, one runs a spacing route sitting at the sticks, and the third releases vertically up the numbers as a clear-out. The backside receiver runs an out breaking route that stems upfield, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch on one side and a vertical shot on the other. This is a zone beater designed to attack Cover 3 and Cover 4 by working the flat to intermediate windows, with the primary read starting on the spacing route sitting in the void before working to the slant and vertical clear-out.

Defensive Reads

Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow to jump the slant, the spacing route behind him becomes the easy answer. Watch the flat defender assigned to the bunch side, if he widens too fast for the out breaking route he leaves the spacing sit route uncovered. Cover 3 with a hard flat drop is the primary weakness this play attacks, since the spacing concept fills the void between the flat and the deep third. Man coverage with no safety help over the top on the backside out route is vulnerable, but watch for a user lurk defender sitting in that passing lane. Cover 4 with corners playing off can allow the slant to work immediately, but a match quarters shell that clamps the vertical clear-out can force a checkdown to the spacing route only.

Usage Tips

Take pre-snap shots of the safeties to confirm two-high or single-high shells before locking into the spacing read against Cover 3 or Cover 4.

Hot route the backside out route into a quick hitch or slant if you see man coverage rolled to that side, since the deep out can get jumped by an aggressive corner.

Use the vertical clear-out route from the bunch to occupy the deep zone defender and open up the spacing window underneath, especially against zone drop linebackers sitting too shallow.

Pair this play with Mesh or Curl Flat in the same set to keep defenses honest on shallow crossers, then hit them with Slant Spacing when they start jumping underneath routes.

Best used on second and medium to third and short since the sticks route and slant give a high percentage completion window without needing a deep shot.

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