Playbooks

Fake Screen Verticals

Shotgun·Bunch Open TE·11

Play Action Screen Pass Four Verts Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Fake Screen Verticals from Shotgun Bunch Open TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch Open TE

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

Fake Screen Verticals is a play-action style dropback pass out of Shotgun Bunch Open TE that sells a screen look before releasing two vertical routes downfield. The bunch receiver runs a delayed screen fake before breaking off, while the two remaining bunch receivers push straight up the field on vertical routes to attack the deep middle and deep outside thirds. The lone receiver at the top of the diagram runs a skinny post or vertical stem to stretch the far side, giving you three deep threats total against a single stationary blocker at the line. Your primary read progression starts with the vertical route breaking toward the numbers on the screen side, then works to the inside vertical, and finally to the backside post if the coverage rotates away from the bunch.

Defensive Reads

Key the flow of linebackers and safeties immediately after the snap, if they crash toward the bunch side expecting a screen you have a clean window to hit the verticals. Watch the deep safety alignment pre-snap, two high safeties sitting at normal depth signal Cover 2 or Cover 4 which this play is designed to stretch vertically. A single high safety cheating toward the bunch pre-snap often means Cover 3 or Cover 1, both vulnerable to the double vertical stretch on the play side. User controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position over the bunch can jump the screen fake and undercut the shallow route, so be ready to move off that read quickly if you see a defender freeze and stare down the mesh point. Man coverage with no safety help over the top on the backside post is the biggest exploit, since the receiver only has to win one release to create a big play down the field.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers and safeties into flowing toward the screen fake before the verticals declare. This play punishes Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells that have safeties reading run or screen action, so look for two deep safeties sitting shallow or a single high safety creeping toward the line. Hot route the backside receiver into a deep out or comeback if you see press man coverage on that side, since the play already stresses zone defenders vertically. Save this call for third and long or two minute drill situations where defenses are more likely to sit in zone shells anticipating a shorter throw off the screen fake. Pair it with actual screen plays like HB Slip Screen or RPO Peek WR Screen earlier in a series so the defense overreacts to the fake and opens up the verticals later in the game.