Playbooks

Curl Flats

Shotgun·Spread Dbl Flex·11

Curl Pass Play Flat

Play diagram for Curl Flats from Shotgun Spread Dbl Flex in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSpread Dbl Flex

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

West Coast OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Curl Flats out of Shotgun Spread Dbl Flex 11 personnel gives you a three level stretch to the trips side and a dig/cross combo away from it. The backside two receivers run a deep dig and a shallow drag crossing under it, while the strong side stacks a curl route from the number 2 receiver over top of a flat route from the number 1 receiver (marked with the red 1), with the tight end or third receiver breaking outside underneath. This is a zone beater built to attack curl to flat conflict defenders, and the primary read progression starts with the flat route to see how the corner or nickel reacts, then works up to the curl sitting behind him, before you check the backside dig if the strong side is squeezed.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender at the snap, since a defender sitting too shallow leaves the curl route open behind him in Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells. Identify Cover 2 cornerbacks jumping the flat route hard, which signals soft man principles and opens a throwing lane to the curl sitting in the honey hole. Look for a linebacker or slot defender spying the backside dig and drag combo, since a heavy underneath presence there means the strong side is your only clean read. Recognize blitz packages that bring five or six rushers, since this concept relies on quick timing routes that beat pressure if you get the ball out on time to the flat or curl. If the defense shows two deep safeties with press corners underneath, expect the curl route to be the primary conflict route that user controlled safeties will try to jump.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a quick alignment check to identify if the defense is showing Cover 2 or Cover 3, since this concept is built to punish the flat defender in both shells.

Key the strong side curl flat combo first on early downs, but flip your primary read to the backside dig on third and medium if the defense rolls coverage away from the trips.

Hot route the flat defender's man to a quick out if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, since the curl route can get picked off in tight man situations.

Pair this play with Four Verticals or Mtn Fades H-Choice in the same set to keep defenses honest, since both punish teams that sit hard on the flat and curl combo.

Snap this on second and medium to short yardage downs where defenses often play softer zone shells, letting the flat to curl read develop without immediate pressure.