Playbooks

Bench Swap

Shotgun·Deuce Close·12
BenchPass Play
Play diagram for Bench Swap from Shotgun Deuce Close in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

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Breakdown

Bench Swap is a five man route play out of Shotgun Deuce Close with 12 personnel that stresses the field with three verticals on one side and a swap concept underneath. The left side releases a wheel and a deep corner route breaking outside while the middle runs a mini spot or swap combo to occupy underneath zone defenders, and the right side isolates the Y in a deep go route matched against a single flat route from the backfield. This is a zone beater built to stretch the deep thirds and attack seams, with the primary read progression starting on the outside vertical to the left, checking down to the swap or flat concept in the middle if the coverage rotates to take away the deep shots, and finishing with the backside go route as a one on one alert.

Defensive Reads

Read the cornerback depth pre-snap, if they are playing off coverage expect zone drops that will squeeze the deep outs and corners. Watch for safety rotation post-snap, a hard rotation to one side signals Cover 3 or Cover 1 and opens the backside vertical for a big play. Identify user controlled linebackers sitting in the middle of the field, since the swap concept is designed to hold them and create natural picks against man coverage. Beware of Cover 2 shells with aggressive cornerbacks jumping the flat routes, this can bait a quick throw into a turnover if the underneath defenders sink too fast. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge will pressure the quarterback before the deep routes develop, so check protection and consider a quick hot route to the swap concept as a built in answer.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or shifts out of Deuce Close to identify if the defense is rotating to a two high or single high shell before the snap.

If the defense shows two deep safeties, attack the vertical routes on the weak side since the underlying swap concept will hold linebackers and open up the seams.

Against single high looks, lean on the backside go route as your first alert since it forces a corner into a difficult trail technique against the Y.

Hot route the backfield flat defender into a deeper option route when facing zone heavy defenses that sit on shallow crossers.

Pair Bench Swap with Exit Dagger or Mtn Stick in the same set to keep defenses honest between vertical shots and quick game answers, forcing user defenders to commit early.

Other Plays in Deuce Close