Playbooks

Flood

Shotgun·Empty Ace·12

Flood Pass Play Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Flood from Shotgun Empty Ace in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetEmpty Ace

Personnel

121 RB · 2 TE · 2 WR

In 3 playbooks

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Breakdown

Flood out of Empty Ace floods the three receiver side with a three level route combo: the outside receiver runs a deep corner route up the sideline, the slot receiver runs a deep in breaking crossing route across the middle, and the inner receiver sits down on a flat/out route right at the sticks. On the backside the single receiver runs a shallow drag across the field underneath. With no running back in the backfield to check release, this is a pure dropback pass concept designed to stress zone defenders by stacking three receivers at three distinct depths in the same horizontal window, making it a strong Cover 3 and Cover 4 beater. The primary read starts with the deep corner route, works down to the crossing route in the middle, and settles on the flat route as the outlet against zone underneath.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, since a single high safety rotating late is a strong indicator of Cover 3, which is exactly what this concept is built to attack. Post-snap, key the flat defender's drop, if he sinks under the corner route without respecting the flat, the quarterback should hit the flat route immediately for an easy completion. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the deep third or playing lurk in the middle of the field, since that defender can jump the crossing route or bait the corner throw. Cover 4 with aggressive corners can squat on the deep corner route, so if the outside corner sinks early, come off that route and work the middle crossing route or flat route in the progression. Man coverage with a blitz on the backside can leave the drag route open quickly, so check for extra rushers off the edge and get the ball out fast if the protection is outnumbered.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a one high or two high safety shell, since this concept punishes single high zone defenses that ask the flat and deep third defenders to cover three routes.

If you see Cover 3, work the deep corner route first, then flash your eyes down to the flat route as the underneath defender widens to the corner route.

Against man coverage, hot route the backside drag into a deeper crossing route or peel it into a scat route to give yourself a true man beater instead of relying purely on the flood concept.

This play works best on second and medium to second and long or third and short, since the flat and drag routes give you a quick underneath answer if the deep shot is not there.

Pair this call with U Cross or Curl Flats from the same set so the defense sees similar route stems out of Empty Ace and has to guess between a flood concept and a crossing concept.