Playbooks

Bunch Levels

Shotgun·Bunch TE·11

Levels Pass Play Cover 2 Beater

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Play diagram for Bunch Levels from Shotgun Bunch TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch TE

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

Breakdown

Bunch Levels aligns three receivers tight to the formation with a lone flanker split out. Off the bunch, one receiver runs a deep in that clears out over the middle, another sits underneath on a square in at the sticks, and the third receiver in the bunch fires off on a shallow drag toward the far flat. The lone split receiver runs a corner route up the sideline, stretching the field vertically while the underneath levels concept works the intermediate window. This is a classic Cover 2 beater that stacks two in-cuts at different depths to layer zone coverage, with the primary read progressing from the deep in to the underneath square in and finally the shallow drag as a checkdown against pressure.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify two high safeties as your first indicator of Cover 2 or Cover 4, which are the shells this play is designed to beat with its layered in routes. Watch the flat defender at the snap since if he sinks with the shallow drag it opens a throwing lane for the deep in route behind him. Key the middle linebacker or hook defender's drop depth, because if he sits too shallow the square in route will settle in behind him for an easy completion. Beware of a Cover 3 sky or buzz rotation where the corner squats on the flat and the safety rotates down, since that can jump the underneath in routes and force you to the corner route as the outlet. User awareness at the mike or the deep hole defender is critical, since a smart user lurking in the middle of the field can bait the deep in throw and undercut it for a pick.

Usage Tips

Attack Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells first since the two stacked in routes settle into the soft spots between the corner and hook defenders.

Use the corner route from the lone receiver as a hot read versus Cover 3 if the flat defender sinks and the deep third rotates late, since it can beat a slow corner rotation.

On third and medium, lean on the square in as your primary because it sits right at the sticks and gives you a high percentage completion versus zone drops.

If the defense shows man coverage pre-snap, consider audibling into a different concept from the set like Mtn Snag Under or Mesh, since Levels is designed to exploit zone spacing rather than beat tight man coverage.

Pair this play with Mtn Return Flood Stick or Mtn Return Cross Up in your play-calling sequence so you can hit the flood concept if the defense starts jumping the levels routes after seeing it on tape.