Playbooks

Redzone HB Scissors

Shotgun·Normal Off Close Wk·11
ScissorsPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 4 Beater
Play diagram for Redzone HB Scissors from Shotgun Normal Off Close Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Redzone HB Scissors runs a scissors concept out of Shotgun Normal Off Close Wk with 11 personnel, crossing the two inside receivers to create natural separation against man coverage while stretching zone defenders vertically and horizontally. The two outside receivers to the trips side clear out with corner and go routes off the scissors cross, while the backside single receiver runs an outside release corner route away from the concept. On the closed side, two receivers stack short outs breaking underneath, giving you a quick answer against soft coverage or a blitz look. The primary read starts with the scissors cross at the top of the screen, working to the backside corner route if the safety jumps the crossers, since this is built as a Cover 2 and Cover 4 beater in tight redzone spacing.

Defensive Reads

Check the safety alignment before the snap, since a two high shell with soft corners is exactly what this scissors concept is built to exploit. Watch the flat defender on the closed side, because if he sinks with the shallow outs instead of widening, the scissors cross will have a free lane behind him. Key the underneath linebackers post-snap, since a nano blitz or immediate zone drop into the crossers will disrupt the timing of the scissors before it develops. If you see man coverage across the board with no safety help over the top, expect the crossers to win quickly, but be ready to check to a different play if a corner blitz is showing. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender squeezed on the shallow outs can shut this down, so recognize that shell and consider switching your first read to the backside corner route.

Usage Tips

Use this near the goal line or inside the 10 where the compressed field limits deep safety help and forces the scissors cross to win quickly.

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties, since this play is designed to attack the seams that Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells leave open on the crossing routes.

If the corner is playing tight man on the crossers, hot route one of the shallow outs on the closed side into a quick flat route to give yourself an instant conflict read against blitzes.

Pair this play with RPO Peek Slant or RPO Alert Bubble earlier in a drive so the defense respects the quick game before you hit them with the delayed scissors cross for a touchdown shot.

Snap it on second or third and short to medium in the redzone, since the crossing routes need a beat to develop and you do not want to be forced into a checkdown on third and long.

Other Plays in Normal Off Close Wk