Playbooks

Drag Under

Shotgun·Doubles·11
DragPass Play
Play diagram for Drag Under from Shotgun Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 4 playbooks

Air Raid OffenseOffenseSim Focusedtargeting Ba OffenseOffenseSim Focusedtargeting Ph OffenseOffenseSim Focusedtargeting Rn OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Drag Under is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Doubles that stacks a shallow drag with two deep vertical stems on the play side and a corner and flat combo on the backside. The Y receiver runs a drag directly across the field underneath the second level, the two outside receivers on the strong side push vertical stems that break into deep outs, and the backside receiver runs a corner route while the running back releases into the flat off a check release from the backfield. This is primarily a zone beater built to exploit sagging linebackers and hole shooters, with the drag sitting underneath zone drops while the corner and flat stretch the boundary defender high low. Primary progression starts with the drag across the middle, works to the flat check down, then climbs to the corner route if the underneath defenders overcommit.

Defensive Reads

Check the strong side safety depth presnap, if he is shaded up near the line expect man coverage which turns the drag into a rub route against trailing defenders. Watch for a linebacker sinking into the shallow crossing lane, that is a sign of Tampa 2 or a hole zone shell designed to take away the drag as the first read. Key the flat defender, if the cornerback or outside linebacker widens fast the flat route from the running back is covered and you should climb straight to the corner route. Look for a nano blitz or overload pressure package presnap, this play has minimal protection help so a hot blitzer off the edge can force a quick checkdown before routes develop. Man coverage with a deep half safety over the corner route is the toughest matchup, in that case abandon the corner read and live in the drag and flat combo underneath.

Usage Tips

Use this on second and medium to long distance when you expect zone coverage since the drag sits in the soft spot behind linebackers and in front of deep zones.

Presnap identify if the defense is showing two high shells, if the safeties stay split postsnap the drag and flat combo will have room to operate against zone drops.

Hot route the backside receiver into a quick out or speed out against man coverage if the corner route gets jumped by an aggressive cornerback playing press.

Pair this play with Y Cross or Mesh in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect crossing traffic underneath, then come back to Drag Under once linebackers start sitting on shallow crossers.

If you see a user controlled linebacker spying the middle of the field, work the flat route early instead of forcing the drag into a jumped throwing lane.

Other Plays in Doubles