Playbooks

HB Dive

Pistol·Y Off Trips·11

Dive Run Play

Play diagram for HB Dive from Pistol Y Off Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetY Off Trips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 3 playbooks

Broncos OffenseOffense Pistol OffenseOffense NFL Live Broncos OffenseOffense

Breakdown

HB Dive out of Pistol Y Off Trips is a straight downhill run play designed to hit the A gap fast before the defense can flow. The diagram shows the offensive line stepping straight ahead with double team looks at the point of attack while the HB takes a quick handoff from the Pistol alignment and hits the crease directly behind the center. This is a run play, not a man or zone beater in the passing sense, and the primary read is the initial A gap crease with the backside cutback lane as the secondary read if the frontside gap gets clogged.

Defensive Reads

Watch for a stacked box pre-snap with linebackers sitting tight to the line, since that alignment is built to blow up HB Dive before it starts. Look at defensive tackle alignment, if the defense has shaded a 3 technique or nose tackle directly over the center the A gap crease will be tighter and the cutback lane becomes the better answer. Key on linebacker depth, if the mikes are sitting shallow and reading run fast this play will get stuffed, so save it for downs where the defense expects pass. User controlled defenders flying downhill from a safety blitz or a nano blitz look off the edge can still get home even against this quick handoff, so know your snap counts. Man coverage on the perimeter with light boxes is the ideal shell to attack, since it signals the defense is not overloading the interior gaps.

Usage Tips

Call this play on short yardage downs like 3rd and 1 or 4th and inches when you need a quick push up the middle without exposing the ball to negative plays.

Check the box count pre-snap, if the defense has stacked the box with 7 or more defenders you should consider audibling to a different concept instead of forcing this dive.

Use this play early in a series to set up play-action shots later, since HB Dive from this same Pistol Y Off Trips set pairs well with PA Boot RT or PA Slot Seam to freeze linebackers who key on the mesh point.

Mix in HB Split Dive and HB Slam from the same personnel group so linebackers cannot sit on the exact same gap every snap.

Take the quick hit north and trust the double team up front rather than trying to bounce it outside, since this play is built for one cut and go decisiveness.