Playbooks

Verticals

Shotgun·Slot Right·11

Four Verts Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Verticals from Shotgun Slot Right in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSlot Right

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

Verticals out of Shotgun Slot Right sends four receivers vertically up the seams and sidelines to attack the deep half and deep third defenders. The outside receivers and the inline TE run straight verticals up the numbers and the seam, while the slot receiver runs a quick option route to the flat before working upfield, giving the quarterback a built in checkdown or man beater against a nickel or linebacker trying to carry a vert. This is a classic Four Verts man and zone beater with no run action, so the offensive line is in a straight pass protection look and the primary read progression starts with the single receiver vertical on the backside, works to the seam route, then to the flat option route if the underneath defender sits deep.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high safety, this tells you whether you are attacking Cover 2 seams or a Cover 3 deep third. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink hard with the seam routes the flat option route from the slot receiver becomes the built in answer. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the best matchup for this play, since all four verticals stress every man defender individually with no natural help. This play struggles against a solid two deep shell with disciplined safeties who stay deep and squeeze the seams, or against a zone blitz that drops extra defenders into the passing lanes. Key the slot cornerback or nickel defender on the option route, if he sits at the sticks and does not widen, look elsewhere immediately since that flat throw will be covered.

Usage Tips

Use this play on obvious passing downs like second or third and long when defenses are more likely to sit in a two deep or three deep zone shell.

Check the pre snap alignment of the safeties, if both are deep and the corners are playing off, take the shot to the seam or backside vertical before the safety can rotate over.

Hot route the flat option receiver into a deeper option or drag if you are facing man coverage with no underneath help, this turns him into a true man beater against linebackers.

Pair this call with RPO Alert Glance or RPO Read Y Flat earlier in a drive so the defense respects the run action, then come back to Verticals to catch linebackers creeping up and safeties sitting shallow.

Against Cover 2, target the seam route between the corner and safety before the safety can get over the top, and against Cover 3 work the vertical away from the deep third defender who has help underneath.