Playbooks

Counter Bash

Shotgun·Normal Y Off Wk·11

Counter Run Play Power Run

Play diagram for Counter Bash from Shotgun Normal Y Off Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetNormal Y Off Wk

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 7 playbooks

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Breakdown

Counter Bash is a gap scheme power run out of Shotgun Normal Y Off Wk with 11 personnel. The diagram shows the offensive line pulling toward the play side with lead blockers clearing a lane while the HB takes a counter step away from the flow before pressing back downhill through the mesh point, represented by the green arrow cutting upfield through the hole. This is a pure run play designed to punish overaggressive flow from linebackers, and the primary read is the play side double team and puller, reading whether to bend the run inside off the double team or bounce it outside based on how the edge defender and linebackers flow to the counter step.

Defensive Reads

Watch linebacker depth and flow pre-snap since Counter Bash thrives against linebackers who key the initial counter step and overrun the play side gap. Look for a light box count with six or fewer defenders in the run fit, which tells you the pullers can win their blocks clean. Key the edge defender or DE, if they crash hard down inside the cutback lane opens outside the puller, if they sit and squeeze the cutback is there. Man coverage on the back end with no extra run support in the box is the best shell to attack since it removes an extra defender from the fit. Heavy blitz packages or run blitzes that stack the box with seven or eight defenders shut this down quickly since the pullers get outnumbered before they can seal the edge.

Usage Tips

Use the counter step to bait linebackers into flowing hard one direction before cutting back, so call this against defenses that show heavy pursuit or overplay run fits aggressively. Check the box count pre-snap and only run this into light boxes of six defenders or fewer since the pullers need numbers to work with. Pair this with Power Read and QB Power in the same set to keep defenses guessing on whether the QB or HB is getting the ball, forcing linebackers to hesitate on run fits. Use this on early downs in normal or run heavy personnel situations where defenses are likely to sit in base fronts rather than nickel or dime looks. If the defense shows a hard crash off the edge pre-snap, be ready to bounce the run outside the puller rather than force it back inside.