Playbooks

Empty Bubble Screen

Shotgun·Double Stack·11
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Franchise Offense Sharedcoach1Offense

Breakdown

Empty Bubble Screen spreads the formation to a full empty backfield and fires quick bubble action to the slot receiver stacked to one side while the outside receiver stalks in to wall off the corner. This is a screen play designed to punish overaggressive man coverage and blitz packages, since the quick throw gets the ball out before pressure arrives and turns the outside blocker into a lead convoy. The primary read is the bubble receiver first, with the quarterback throwing on rhythm as soon as the receiver breaks flat unless a defender is sitting directly in the throwing lane, in which case you check to the backside stack for a similar bubble concept.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender to the stack side presnap. If a corner or nickel is sitting outside with eyes in the backfield, they are reading screen and will jump the throw. Identify if the defense is in man coverage with the slot corner pressing tight, since that leaves the bubble uncovered once the stalk block executes. Key linebacker depth and width. Linebackers who flow hard to the play call or user flow toward the bubble immediately are taking this away, so be ready to check to the backside concept. Look for zone shells like Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 with a hard corner sitting on the flat, since these alignments allow defenders to squat and blow up the screen for a loss. Recognize simulated pressure or blitz packages where the slot defender bails into coverage late, since this can bait an early throw into a defender who has actually dropped into the throwing lane.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or third and short when you expect man coverage or a blitz look, since the quick release neutralizes edge pressure and nano blitzes before they develop.

Presnap, check the defensive alignment to the stack side. If the slot corner is playing tight man or the strong safety is crashing down, the bubble has room to work behind the blocker.

Use the right stick to manually pull your bubble receiver upfield the instant the catch happens instead of relying on the CPU to find the crease, since user-controlled ball carriers create more explosive gains after the catch.

Pair this with Empty Fk Bubble Post or Fake Screen Go from the same set to freeze linebackers and safeties who start jumping the bubble action after seeing it once.

Avoid throwing into two-high shells with soft outside zone corners sitting on flat routes, since sky or cloud coverage can close on the screen before the blocker gets set.

Other Plays in Double Stack