Playbooks

Four Verticals

Shotgun·Doubles·11
Four VertsPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 BeaterFadeOption RouteSeamStreak
Play diagram for Four Verticals from Shotgun Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Shotgun Doubles sends all four eligible receivers vertically up the field, with the two outside receivers running seam-clearing verts up the numbers and the slot receivers splitting the middle of the field on vertical seams. The RB stays in to pass protect, giving the QB a clean pocket to work through the stretched-out vertical stem. This is a classic Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater that floods every deep zone at once, forcing the safeties and corners to choose who to cover, and the primary read progression starts with the seam route matched against a linebacker or nickel before working outside to the numbers verts against off man or soft zone corners.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify whether the safeties are showing two high or rotating to a single high look, because Cover 3 with only one deep defender covering three vertical stretches is the easiest shell to exploit. Post-snap, watch the seam defender's drop, if a linebacker or nickel corner sinks with the inside seam route without deep help arriving, that throwing window opens immediately. Beware Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells with four defenders across the deep field, since this alignment matches a defender to every vertical route and removes the natural void. Watch for a user-controlled safety lurking in the middle of the field trying to bait a throw into the seam, if the CPU or user safety stays high and centered, hold the ball and work to the boundary verts instead. Recognize disguised blitzes where a linebacker shows blitz then bails into the seam zone, since this can jump the inside route if the QB stares it down too long.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play is designed to split them with the inside seams.

Hot route the inside seam receivers to sit down around 12 to 15 yards if you see a robber or Tampa 2 defender sinking underneath, turning the seam into a bang eight route.

Use this on obvious passing downs like second or third and long when defenses are more likely to sit in Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells.

Pair Four Verticals with Curl Flats or Curls Slot Shake in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect both the deep shots and the shorter zone-sit routes off the same formation look.

Against man coverage, take the shot to the seam early since the vertical stems create natural rubs and separation before the safety can rotate over the top.

Other Plays in Doubles