Playbooks

Flanker Drive

Shotgun·Doubles·11
DrivePass PlayCover 4 Beater
Play diagram for Flanker Drive from Shotgun Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Run N Gun OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Flanker Drive out of Shotgun Doubles is a five man route concept designed to attack Cover 4 and other zone shells with horizontal stretches at multiple levels. The flanker runs the drive route underneath from the backside, crossing the field on a shallow angle while the slot receiver on that side runs a deep vertical to clear space, and to the play side the TE runs a drive/dig into the middle of the field while the outside receiver breaks outside on a short out and the RB releases on a check release flat route. The primary read starts with the TE drive route working underneath the linebackers, then progresses to the flanker drive crossing route if the middle is congested, with the RB flat route as the checkdown against pressure.

Defensive Reads

Identify two high safeties pre-snap as your first key, since this concept is built to exploit the soft underneath zones in Cover 4. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If the middle linebacker sinks too fast to cover the TE drive route, that throw will be open immediately. Beware of a user controlled linebacker sitting in the shallow crossing lane, since that is the exact route the flanker drive attacks and a smart defender can jump it for a big hit or pick. Man coverage with no help over the middle gets beaten easily by the natural rub created between the drive routes and the vertical clear out route. Cover 3 with a fast flowing linebacker to the flat can take away both the RB check release and the TE drive route, forcing you to rely on the backside crosser instead.

Usage Tips

Use this against Cover 4 and Cover 2 shells where the underneath drive routes can settle in the soft spots between linebackers and safeties.

Pre-snap, check the safety depth. If both safeties are sitting deep at 10 plus yards, the drive routes underneath will have room to work before the zone closes.

Hot route the backside vertical into a deep post or comeback if you see a single high safety rotate late, since the drive concept alone will not punish Cover 3 as effectively.

This play excels on second and medium or third and short since the underneath drive routes convert quickly and give you a high floor completion.

Pair this with Four Verticals or PA Dagger from the same formation to keep defenders honest on the deep middle, then come back to Flanker Drive once they start sitting on shorter zones.

Other Plays in Doubles