Playbooks

RPO Read Bubble

Shotgun·Bunch Open Offset·11

RPO Pass Play Run Play

Play diagram for RPO Read Bubble from Shotgun Bunch Open Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch Open Offset

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

RPO Read Bubble is an RPO out of Shotgun Bunch Open Offset that gives the quarterback a true give or throw decision based on the box count and flow of the second level defenders. The bunch side runs a bubble screen with the outside receiver sitting flat and the inside slot bending underneath toward the sideline as a bubble target, while the backside receiver runs a shallow drag across the field that clears out underneath zone defenders. Up front the offensive line and running back execute an inside zone run scheme, giving the quarterback a true run/pass conflict read on the play side linebacker or nickel defender. The primary progression is read the box defender assigned to the bubble flow first, hand off if he crashes downhill on the run action, and pull it to throw the bubble screen if he widens or bites on run fake.

Defensive Reads

Watch the second level defender aligned over the bunch, if he sits back in a zone drop or bails to cover the bubble, this is your cue to expect the run since the quarterback will likely hand it off against a light box. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells presnap, since sky safeties funneling out toward the bunch side to erase the bubble force the quarterback to keep the ball on the ground more often, negating the RPO conflict. Watch for a blitzing nickel or slot corner off the edge, a hard crash from that defender flashes the ball outside quickly for an easy completion unless he is disciplined enough to sit and read. Man coverage on the backside drag with no safety help invites a big gain if the linebacker overcommits to the run fake, so track whether the defense rotates a robber or hook defender into that shallow zone. Zone blitzes that bring extra rushers up the middle while dropping the read defender into a shallow zone tend to shut this play down, since it eliminates both the inside zone lanes and the bubble throwing window simultaneously.

Usage Tips

Presnap, count the box defenders on the bunch side before the snap since a light box is your green light to keep the ball on the ground with inside zone.

Key the alley defender or slot corner over the bunch formation immediately after the snap, if he crashes toward the line of scrimmage for run support that is your trigger to flip it outside to the bubble.

Use this play on early downs in run heavy sequences to keep defenses honest, then follow it up later in the same drive with RPO Alert Out or RPO Peek WR Screen from the same bunch look so the defense cannot key on personnel or formation tendencies.

Against man coverage with a hard crashing linebacker, pull and throw the bubble quickly since the drag route on the backside will not have time to develop against tight man leverage.

Pair this play with Duo or Reload Inside Zone in your call sheet to keep the same run action disguised while varying blocking schemes, forcing the defense to respect multiple gap schemes off identical formation and personnel.