Playbooks

Four Verticals

Shotgun·Doubles HB Wk·11

Four Verts Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Four Verticals from Shotgun Doubles HB Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetDoubles HB Wk

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Shotgun Doubles HB Wk sends all four eligible receivers vertically up the seams and sidelines, with both outside receivers and the slot receiver on straight verts while the inline TE releases up the seam from the core. The HB stays in as a checkdown, releasing on a shallow route underneath into the middle of the field for a hot outlet if the vertical stems are blanketed. This is a classic zone beater designed to stress Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells by overloading the deep half or deep third with four vertical stems, and the primary read progression starts at the seam route from the TE or slot before working outside to the boundary verts, then checking down to the HB if the coverage rotates over the top.

Defensive Reads

Two deep safeties splitting the field evenly signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, so attack the seams before the safeties can close the width. A single high safety at depth signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, so read which side the deep third defender leans and throw opposite that rotation. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink hard into the seams pre-read the throw, look to the boundary vert or check down to the HB instead of forcing it inside. Man coverage with no help over the top, like Cover 0 or Cover 1 without a deep middle defender, gets exposed instantly by the outside verts winning on vertical speed. User controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate seam window are the biggest threat to this concept, so scan for a user dropping into the throwing lane before committing to the seam read.

Usage Tips

Identify the safety alignment before the snap, two deep safeties splitting evenly usually means Cover 2 or Cover 4 and you want to attack the seams between the corner and safety. If you see a single high safety, that is Cover 3 or Cover 1, so target the seam route away from the rotation of the deep third defender. Use the hot route to slide the HB into a shallow drag or keep him in as a checkdown against pressure looks, since this play has no direct blocking help beyond max protect. Pair this with Slants or Double Slants earlier in a series so the defense starts sitting on shorter routes, then hit Four Verticals to gash them over the top once they bite. Save this for medium to long yardage downs like second and long or first and ten when you have time to let the verts stack and separate deep. Against Cover 2, target the seam sitting between the flat defender and deep safety before the safety can get over the top.