Playbooks

HB Slip Screen

Shotgun·Doubles Offset·11
Screen PassHb ScreenPass Play
Play diagram for HB Slip Screen from Shotgun Doubles Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

Jaguars OffenseOffenseShotgun MixNFL Live Jaguars OffenseOffense

Breakdown

HB Slip Screen out of Shotgun Doubles Offset is a screen play built to bait aggressive pass rushers and blitzing linebackers upfield. The diagram shows four vertical routes releasing deep to clear out underneath defenders while the running back slips out to the flat behind a wall of screen blockers, with the QB taking a quick drop before dumping the ball out to the backfield. This is a blitz beater and man beater at its core, punishing defenses that send extra rushers or play tight man coverage with no eyes in the backfield, and the primary read is the HB screen itself unless the defense sneaks a defender into the flat, in which case the QB has to eat pressure or check to a vertical release downfield as a last resort.

Defensive Reads

Watch for defensive ends and outside linebackers crashing hard off the edge pre-snap, since that aggressive get-off is exactly what turns this screen into a big play. Key the middle linebacker's depth at the snap. If he sits at or near the line reading run or blitz, the screen lane opens up immediately behind the offensive line's release. Identify man coverage versus zone by watching the corners at the snap. If they turn and run with the four vertical routes, nobody is left to sit on the flat and the screen has a clean throwing lane. Look for a user-controlled defender spying the backfield or a zone defender sitting in a shallow hook zone, since that is the single biggest counter to this concept and will blow up the screen before it develops. Recognize Cover 0 or all-out blitz calls from the defense pre-snap. Those looks guarantee no defender is reading the backfield and make this play nearly automatic if the blockers execute.

Usage Tips

Call this play when you see a pre-snap blitz indicator like linebackers creeping to the line or a safety rotating down into the box, since the whole design is meant to make blitzers pay for crashing upfield.

Pair this with Mtn HB Slip Screen and Fake Screen Wheel earlier in a drive so defenders start hesitating on run fits and screen fits, then punish overaggressive reactions with this exact concept.

Use it on early downs like first and ten or second and medium when the defense is likely to sell out on stopping the run or blitzing off the edge.

Hot route one of the four vertical receivers into a shallow drag or spot route if you are facing zone coverage, since the diagram's four verticals concept alone will not stress underneath zone defenders enough to fully sell the screen.

Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers at home, since spy-style linebackers sitting in shallow zones can jump the screen lane before the blockers set up.

Other Plays in Doubles Offset