Playbooks
At a Glance
In 15 playbooks
Overview
Empty Bunch Wide takes the standard Shotgun Empty look and stacks three receivers into a tight bunch to one side while isolating a single receiver wide to the other. Unlike balanced Empty sets that spread five receivers evenly across the numbers, this set forces the defense to declare its coverage rotation pre-snap: the bunch side draws extra bodies and the backside receiver gets a true one on one look. Personnel is 11 (1 RB 1 TE), with the running back flexed out of the backfield as a receiver, meaning your best pass catching back becomes a matchup problem against a linebacker or slot corner instead of a checkdown option.
The bunch triangle is where this set earns its money. Compressed spacing creates natural traffic that wrecks man coverage without needing a single hot route, and the release rules in Madden mean defenders in man frequently get caught in the wash off the snap. Concepts like Z Spot N Go, Z Spot Smash, Post Corner Read, and Drive Y Corner all work the bunch side high low, while Spacing Switch floods the intermediate zones with quick options against Cover 3 and Cover 4. Deep Flood and Stutter Wheel attack single high shells vertically with layered depths, and Drive Wheel gives you a crosser plus a wheel out of the bunch that stresses zone match rules.
Because there is no back protecting the quarterback, the set also carries built in answers to the pressure it invites. RPO Q Screen Draw, RPO Screen QB Draw, QB Draw, and Jailbreak Screen turn aggressive blitzes into free yards when the box is light or the defense drops seven. The 3DRB and SLWR tags signal that this set is designed for third down passing situations with your slot receiver and third down back detached, and the Gadget tag reflects the QB run and screen game layered underneath the pass concepts.
Strengths
- Bunch spacing creates natural rub and traffic releases that beat Cover 1 and Cover 2 Man without any pre-snap hot routes needed, especially on Z Spot N Go and Post Corner Read.
- Five out alignment forces the defense to declare coverage early, letting you read the backside isolated receiver one on one and hot route him to a fade, slant, or comeback based on the corner leverage.
- QB Draw, RPO Q Screen Draw, and RPO Screen QB Draw punish light boxes and heavy blitz calls, making pressure heavy opponents pay for vacating the middle of the field.
- Deep Flood and Stutter Wheel layer three levels on the same side, which shreds Cover 3 flat and curl defenders who have to choose between the wheel and the underneath route.
- Jailbreak Screen and Spacing Switch give you fast, high completion answers on third and medium when you need to move the chains without holding the ball against a user blitzer.
Weaknesses
- No running back in the backfield means five man protection with zero help, so overload blitzes, nano pressures, and A gap looks get home fast if you do not slide protect or throw on time.
- Tight bunch alignment lets a single user controlled defender sit in the middle of the triangle and cover multiple routes at once, particularly against the spot and spacing concepts.
- Cover 2 Man Under with a hard press corner on the isolated backside receiver removes your best one on one read and forces you into the crowded bunch side.
- No run threat outside of QB Draw and the RPO calls, so opponents can play pass first, drop into deep coverage, and dare you to check into a quarterback run.
- Bunch releases can bunch up your own routes against zone match, causing receivers to occupy the same window and giving robber or user defenders easy interception angles.
Usage Tips
Read the backside first: if the defense leaves the isolated receiver with an off corner and no help over the top, hot route a fade or streak and take the one on one before you ever look at the bunch.
Use this set on third and 4 to third and 8 where Spacing Switch, Drag Curl, and Jailbreak Screen give you three separate quick game answers depending on whether the defense shows man or zone.
Against blitz heavy opponents, check into RPO Screen QB Draw or QB Draw and let a mobile quarterback exploit the vacated box, then switch back to Deep Flood once they stop bringing extra rushers.
Motion the point man of the bunch before the snap to identify man versus zone, then commit to Z Spot Smash against Cover 2 or Drive Y Corner against single high.
Block the isolated receiver or use a running back release hot route to add a checkdown when you expect a user blitzer, since five man protection needs a dump off valve.
