Playbooks

Panther Stick

Shotgun·Doubles·11

Stick Stick Concept Pass Play Fade Flat Option Route Streak

Play diagram for Panther Stick from Shotgun Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetDoubles

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

Madden OffenseOffense Power Run OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Panther Stick out of Shotgun Doubles sends both outside receivers vertical on go routes to clear out the deep coverage while the slot receiver runs a stick route sitting down in the flat area behind the shallow crosser. The lone TE crosses underneath to the opposite flat, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch read with two vertical clear-outs stacked behind it. This is a zone beater at its core, attacking hook and curl defenders with the stick sit route while the crosser and TE occupy underneath zone landmarks, and the primary read progression starts with the stick, works to the crossing route, and climbs to the go routes if a defender bites hard underneath.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he widens with the TE crosser the stick route sits wide open in the vacated zone Identify single high safety pre-snap, that alignment tells you the go routes have a numbers advantage on any man coverage look Key the linebacker depth over the slot, shallow depth signals zone drops that make the stick throw risky, deeper drops open the window User lurk defenders sitting in the shallow middle can jump the crosser, so if you see a defender hovering there be ready to reset to the stick or go vertical Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can shut down the go routes but leave the underdneath stick and crosser combo exposed to zone dropoffs, look for the flat defender's leverage before throwing

Usage Tips

Look for the stick route against Cover 3 or Cover 4 since the flat defender has to choose between the crosser and the sit route

Use the go routes as clear out tools versus single high safety looks, they open up the middle for the stick and crosser against man coverage

Hot route the backside go into a comeback or curl if you see press man to give yourself a quicker outlet against aggressive corners

This play works best on second and medium or third and short because the stick route gets an easy completion before the sticks marker

Pair this with 45 Quick Base or Curl Flats to keep the defense guessing on similar route stems, then hit Panther Stick when they start jumping the shorter throws

Call this after establishing HB Counter or Inside Zone so linebackers sit lighter in run fits and open up the underneath stick and crosser windows