Playbooks

HB Slip Screen

Pistol·U Off Trips·12

Screen Pass Hb Screen Pass Play

Play diagram for HB Slip Screen from Pistol U Off Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetU Off Trips

Personnel

121 RB · 2 TE · 2 WR

In 2 playbooks

Pistol OffenseOffense Superstar HB Agile

Breakdown

HB Slip Screen out of Pistol U Off Trips is a designed screen pass built to slow down aggressive pass rush and disguised blitz packages. The three vertical stems from the trips side and the wide receiver breaking hard to the sideline hold the second and third level defenders and sell a downfield shot, while the offensive line releases to get out in front of the HB who slips out to the flat behind them. The primary read is the screen to the HB, working through the wall of blockers to find the alley created by the pulling linemen, with the vertical routes as the true first look only if the defense shows a blitz that gets picked off cleanly by the release.

Defensive Reads

Watch for a defender spying the HB out of the backfield or sitting at the second level in a contain technique, that alignment tips a screen read and lets the defense blow it up. Identify if the defense is in man coverage with press corners, since the vertical routes can occupy the corners long enough for the screen to develop untouched. Key the defensive tackles and ends, if they are reading the offensive line pulling and diagnosing the screen quickly you will see them peel off and chase, which kills the play. Look for zone drops from linebackers, if they sink deep with the vertical routes instead of staying disciplined against the run and screen fake they open a wide alley for the HB. On the user side, control a defensive lineman or linebacker who is athletic enough to read and react, since a user rush that stays home instead of crashing upfield is the biggest counter to this concept.

Usage Tips

Call this against defenses that are bringing extra pressure or showing an aggressive nano blitz look, since the delayed release neutralizes the rush before it can get home.

Check the linebacker depth before the snap, if they are sitting at or near the line of scrimmage in blitz alignment this play has a much higher chance of hitting for a big gain.

Use the three vertical routes as a hard sell, if the corners and safeties bite hard on the wideouts you get a numbers advantage for the HB in space.

Pair this call with HB Dive or HB Counter earlier in a series so the defense starts keying run action, then hit them with the slip screen once linebackers start flowing downhill.

Best deployed on early downs or in obvious passing situations where the defense dials up extra rushers, avoid calling it into a spy or contain heavy defensive front since those defenders will squeeze the screen lane immediately.