Playbooks

Fade Smash

Pistol·Spread·10

Fade Smash Pass Play Cover 2 Beater

Play diagram for Fade Smash from Pistol Spread in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetSpread

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 4 playbooks

Elites OffenseOffense Pistol OffenseOffense Run And Shoot OffenseOffense Spread Classic

Breakdown

Fade Smash is a classic two man route concept run out of a 10 personnel Pistol Spread look with three receivers stacked to the right and one isolated to the left. To the right, the outside receiver runs a corner route stemming vertically before breaking to the sideline while the inside slot receiver sits down on a quick hitch underneath, creating the traditional high low smash concept that stretches a cornerback and safety on that side. To the left, the isolated receiver runs a fade straight up the sideline with the running back releasing into a shallow flat route underneath him, giving you a second smash concept on the backside. This is a man and zone versatile passing concept, and the primary read progression starts with the smash side corner route against the outside cornerback, working down to the hitch if the corner sits, then working to the backside fade or flat based on the coverage rotation.

Defensive Reads

Presnap check both safeties, a single high safety shell tells you Cover 3 or Cover 1 is likely and the corner route or fade has a good chance to win over the top. Two deep safeties presnap signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, which means the smash concept corner route is your bread and butter throw into the void behind the corner and in front of the safety. Watch the flat defender on the three receiver side after the snap, if he sinks with the hitch or widens too far the corner route will have a clean throwing lane. Key the boundary cornerback on the backside fade route, aggressive press man alignment invites a go ball but soft zone alignment means the fade will be contested and you should look elsewhere. This concept struggles against a hard inside blitz with no simultaneous flat drop, since the quick hitch and flat routes can get taken away, so respect Cover 0 or man blitz shells and be ready to check to the checkdown.

Usage Tips

Presnap identify which safety is rotating toward the smash concept side, since that tells you whether the corner route or the hitch will be open first.

Against Cover 2 look immediately to the corner route on the three receiver side, it is designed to split the flat defender and the deep half safety before the safety can get over the top.

Against man coverage or Cover 0 the backside fade is a strong shot play if you have a size or speed mismatch on that isolated receiver, throw it early before the safety help can rotate over.

Use the running back flat route as your checkdown against a hard blitz or when both verticals are covered, it is a safe answer versus pressure looks.

Pair this play with Y Stick or Quick Slants in your sequencing, since those quick game concepts set up defenders to bite underneath and open up the corner and fade routes on Fade Smash later in a series.