Playbooks

Smash

Shotgun·Double Stack·11
SmashPass PlayCover 2 Beater
Play diagram for Smash from Shotgun Double Stack in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Smash out of Shotgun Double Stack shows a classic two-level combo to both sides of the field. On the left, the outside receiver runs a hitch/corner route stacking on top of the underneath receiver who runs a shallow flat route, creating the vertical stretch that defines Smash. On the right, the stacked receivers run a corner route from the outside man over a flat route from the inside man, giving you the same high-low read to that side. The RB stays in to help protect while the QB reads the corner-flat combo, this is a Cover 2 beater built to attack the cornerback with a two way go: throw the flat if the corner sits deep, throw the corner route if he jumps the underneath route.

Defensive Reads

Watch the pre-snap safety depth, two deep safeties at depth signal Cover 2 or Cover 4, which is exactly what Smash is built to exploit. Key the flat defender or cornerback at the snap, if he sinks with the corner route the flat is wide open, if he jumps the flat the corner route will be uncontested behind him. Beware user controlled corners or safeties sitting the flat-corner window, a smart human defender can lurk the underneath route and bait the corner throw into a pick. Look for Cover 3 or Cover 1 man looks with a single high safety, since press corners with inside help can squeeze the corner route and take away the easy answer. Watch for a hard blitz off the edge on the RB protection side, since a five or six man pressure package can collapse the pocket before the corner route has time to develop.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify the deep safety alignment to confirm Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells since this concept is designed specifically to punish the corner in those coverages.

Pick a side based on the cornerback depth at the snap, if he is playing shallow and hard on the flat, take the corner route over the top, if he is sitting deep, hit the flat route for an easy pitch and catch.

Hot route the backside stack into a shallow drag or spot route if you diagnose man coverage, since the natural rub from the stack alignment creates instant separation against man defenders.

Use this play on second and medium or third and short to medium, where the flat route alone can move the chains if the corner route is not open.

Pair this with Four Verticals and Mtn Slot Cross from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the flat-corner read without opening up seams and crossers elsewhere in the playbook.

Other Plays in Double Stack