Playbooks

Crack Toss

Shotgun·Bunch Str Offset·11

Toss Run Play

Play diagram for Crack Toss from Shotgun Bunch Str Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch Str Offset

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 6 playbooks

Cardinals OffenseOffense Shotgun OffenseOffense Sim Volumedistribution Ba OffenseOffense Sim Volumedistribution Ph OffenseOffense Sim Volumedistribution Rn OffenseOffense NFL Live Cardinals OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Crack Toss is a run play out of Shotgun Bunch Str Offset that pitches the ball to the HB toward the bunch side, with the receivers aligned tight to crack down on the edge defender and linebackers flowing outside. This is a perimeter toss designed to spring the HB wide off the crack blocks and get him into the alley before the defense can flow to the ball. The primary read is the crack block and playside pulling linemen: the HB must press the hole, read the edge crack, and decide between bouncing outside or cutting up through the alley based on how the second level defenders react.

Defensive Reads

Watch the strong side linebacker depth before the snap, since a linebacker sitting too tight to the box gets easily cracked and loses outside leverage. Identify if the defense is in an odd front with a true nose tackle, which slows backside pursuit and gives the HB more time to read the crack and bounce outside. Look for a scraping defensive end or edge player who reads run fast and fights through the crack block, since this can blow up the play before it develops. Post snap, key the safety fit from depth: if the free safety flies down fast to fill the alley, the HB needs to cut this back inside rather than bouncing all the way outside. This play struggles against heavy blitz packages or nano blitz pressure off the edge, since the crack blocker may not get there in time to seal the alley.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or shifts to confirm whether the defense is playing base personnel or bringing extra run support to the bunch side before snapping.

Check the alignment of the strong side linebacker and edge defender since a wide alignment or crashing edge defender makes the crack block easier to execute and opens the alley faster.

Hot route the backside receiver into a quick drag or shallow if you see man coverage to hold the backside defender and prevent fast pursuit.

Best used on early downs like first and ten or second and short when defenses are more likely to sit in base fronts rather than sub packages built to stop the toss.

Pair this with Mtn Lead Toss or Pin Pull Toss from the same set so the defense cannot key on one blocking scheme, then mix in Read Option or Duo to keep the run fits honest.