Playbooks

RPO Alert Bubble

Shotgun·Normal Off Close Wk·11
RPOPass PlayRun Play
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.
Play diagram for RPO Alert Bubble from Shotgun Normal Off Close Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

Not in any team playbook.

Breakdown

RPO Alert Bubble is a run pass option out of Shotgun 11 personnel that pairs an inside handoff read with a bubble screen alert to the slot receiver. The offensive line and backfield action flow toward a run look while the slot receiver sits underneath running a shallow bubble route as an outside receiver clears vertically to hold the alley defender. The quarterback keys the flowing linebacker or slot defender: if that defender crashes downhill on the run action, he pulls and fires the bubble, otherwise he hands off into the run scheme.

Defensive Reads

Watch the slot cornerback or nickel defender at the snap, if he presses hard downhill on run flow the quarterback will pull and throw the bubble almost every time. Zone coverages that drop a linebacker into the flat with depth take away the bubble throw and force the offense into the run fit. Man coverage with no underneath help leaves the bubble wide open since there is no leverage defender to react in time. Blitzes that send extra defenders off the edge can be neutralized by the quick bubble throw, so watch for the offense using this as a blitz beater on early downs. If the defense shows two high safeties with linebackers staying square, the run action becomes the higher value option since the alley defender is less likely to overcommit.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone leverage over the slot receiver since the bubble only hits clean against zone or soft man alignment.

Check the alley defender or curl to flat zone player before the snap, if he is sitting inside or crashing hard on run fits every snap, alert the bubble immediately.

Use this play on early downs to stay ahead of the chains, the run action keeps linebackers honest while the bubble punishes overaggressive fits.

Pair this with RPO Peek Slant and RPO Zone Alert in the same set so defenders cannot key on one specific alert tag, keeping the linebacker level guessing.

If the defense adjusts by rolling a safety down to take away the bubble, hand the ball off into the run action since the box should now be lighter.

Other Plays in Normal Off Close Wk