Playbooks

Stick Knife

Shotgun·Doubles Y Off·11

Stick Stick Concept Pass Play

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

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

Play diagram for Stick Knife from Shotgun Doubles Y Off in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetDoubles Y Off

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

Benkert OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Stick Knife is a quick game concept out of Shotgun Doubles Y Off that puts a stick concept on the field side and a vertical shoot combo on the boundary. The left outside WR runs a deep vertical clearout while the slot WR runs a quick stick to the flat, the TE runs the knife route (the stick corner breaking back to the QB) working underneath the field, and the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route into the boundary flat. The QB's primary read progresses from the TE knife route in the flat area to the HB wheel underneath, using the outside vertical to hold the deep defender before working back down. This is a man beater and zone beater hybrid that stresses underneath defenders horizontally while the wheel route punishes man coverage on the backer or slot corner.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender assigned to the TE knife route, if he sits at the sticks in zone he will jump the route so be ready to check to the HB wheel Key the linebacker or nickel defender covering the HB out of the backfield, in man coverage he often cannot stay on top of the wheel route up the sideline Identify two high safety shells since a single deep half safety can rob the outside vertical route and force the QB to work the shorter stick and knife combo Look for underneath zone drops from Cover 3 or Cover 4 defenders, if they sink too deep the stick route sitting at the sticks becomes wide open This concept struggles against a hard sink and squat zone blitz that drops a defender directly into the knife route window while bringing pressure off the edge

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or third and short since the stick and knife routes are designed to get the ball out fast against pressure looks

Check the alignment of the flat defender pre-snap, if the corner or slot defender is sitting soft in the flat, target the TE knife route immediately since it sits right in that window

Against man coverage, hot route the outside WR's vertical into a slant or dig to clear more space for the HB wheel, which is the true man beater in this concept

Pair this play with Mtn Stick or Z Spot from the same set to keep defenses guessing on stick concepts while changing the deep route shell each snap

If the defense shows a heavy blitz look pre-snap, get the ball out to the HB wheel or stick route in rhythm since the concept is built for a quick three step timing throw