Playbooks

PA Curl Drag

Shotgun·Flanker Close·10

Play Action Curl Drag Pass Play

Play diagram for PA Curl Drag from Shotgun Flanker Close in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetFlanker Close

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 1 playbook

Run And Shoot OffenseOffense

Breakdown

PA Curl Drag out of Shotgun Flanker Close uses a play-action fake to hold the linebackers before attacking the underneath zones and the deep sideline. Off the diagram, the two outside receivers push vertical up the numbers, the inside slot receiver runs a curl that sits down in the intermediate window, and the tight end or third receiver crosses the field on a drag underneath everything. This is a play-action zone beater designed to isolate the drag against zone drops and give the QB a curl sit-down read if the underneath defenders bite on the run fake or widen with the verticals. Primary progression is drag first for the built-in explosive gain versus soft zone, then curl if a linebacker sinks under the drag, with the two verticals as the shot plays if the safeties bite on the fake.

Defensive Reads

Watch the linebacker depth pre-snap, if they are sitting shallow expecting run, the play-action fake will pull them further up and open the drag immediately. Identify single high versus two high safeties before the snap, single high alignments are more vulnerable to the drag sitting behind sunken linebackers. Post-snap, key any user lurk defender dropping into the curl window, a smart user will sit right on the curl route and bait the QB into a turnover. Watch for zone blitz packages that drop a defensive end or linebacker into the drag lane, this can clog the primary read and force the QB to hold the ball. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4, the deep verticals are the true window since the curl and drag sit in a crowded underneath area with extra defenders shading the middle.

Usage Tips

Sell the play-action fake by letting the run animation play out before your first read, this is what freezes linebackers and opens the drag lane.

Use this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) when defenses are more likely to respect the run fake and bite on the mesh point.

Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells, key the flow of the underneath linebackers, if they widen with the verticals the drag will be wide open crossing the formation.

Hot route the backside vertical into a comeback or drag to add a man beater layer if you diagnose man coverage pre-snap, since the base verticals can get blanketed by press corners.

Pair this with Y Cross or Weak Flood earlier in a series so the defense has already seen crossing traffic and verticals, then come back to PA Curl Drag to punish overcorrection.