Playbooks

Dragon Spacing

Shotgun·Flanker Close·10

Spacing Pass Play Cover 3 Beater Cover 4 Beater

Play diagram for Dragon Spacing from Shotgun Flanker Close in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetFlanker Close

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 5 playbooks

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Breakdown

Dragon Spacing out of Shotgun Flanker Close is a classic spacing concept built to attack zone coverage with quick, horizontal stretch routes. The backside receiver runs a deep corner route while the tight end releases into a shallow flat, and on the play side two receivers sit down at different levels in a hi lo curl to flat combo while the running back checks release into the flat to complete the stretch. The primary read progression starts with the play side curl and flat combo to identify the zone defender being stretched, then works back to the backside corner route as a shot play if the corner opens up a lane. This is a zone beater at its core, though the curl sits down quickly enough to also work as a man beater against off coverage.

Defensive Reads

Key the flat defender first since the curl to flat combo on the play side is designed to put him in a horizontal bind he cannot cover alone. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink too fast into curl zones they leave the underlying flat route wide open for an easy checkdown. Identify single high versus two high safety shells before the snap, since Cover 3 and Cover 4 are the coverages this concept is built to exploit. If you see a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow curl zone, look to the backside corner route immediately since that route works away from the traffic. Beware disguised zone blitzes where the flat defender bails late, since that can cut off the quick game and force a hold up in the pocket that this spacing concept is not designed for.

Usage Tips

Use Dragon Spacing on third and short to third and medium since the underneath spacing window is designed to pick up conversions quickly against zone drops.

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 3 or Cover 4 shell since this play is tagged specifically to beat both of those coverage types.

If the defense shows two high safeties rotating late, hot route the flat route to a quick out or slant to beat man coverage before the defender can jump the route.

Pair this play with Y Cross or Y Sail from the same Flanker Close set to keep the defense honest, since both plays hit different levels and force linebackers to declare their drops.

Use the backside corner route as a field stretch answer if you see a Cover 3 cheat with the flat defender sitting too shallow, since that opens a throwing lane over the top.