Playbooks

Dagger

Shotgun·Spread Y-Slot Wk·11

Dagger Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 3 Beater

Play diagram for Dagger from Shotgun Spread Y-Slot Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSpread Y-Slot Wk

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 5 playbooks

Franchise College Spread OffenseOffense Balanced Pass OffenseOffense Spread Classic Vikings OffenseOffense NFL Live Vikings OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Dagger out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot Wk sends the backside X on a deep dig that sits over the middle while the slot receiver clears the zone underneath with a vertical seam that turns into the dagger stem, creating the classic high low read on one side of the field. On the strongside, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical to hold the corner and safety while the TE releases into a corner route from the flat, stretching the sideline. The HB checks release out of the backfield and works to the flat for a checkdown, and the offensive line slides to protect in a standard five man pass pro look. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, and the primary read progression starts with the dig sitting down in the void behind the linebackers, then works to the corner route against Cover 2 or the vertical against Cover 3 if the middle is taken away.

Defensive Reads

Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap, this indicates Cover 2 or Cover 4 and tells you the dig route will have room to sit down in the intermediate zone. Key the middle linebacker's drop, if he sinks deep to take away the dig you need to reset your progression to the corner route or the vertical clear out route. Man coverage on the slot receiver with no safety help over the top is a green light to push the ball to the dig immediately since the route design creates natural separation off the vertical stem. Look for a user controlled defender sitting in the passing lane or lurking around the dig route depth, this is the primary counter to dagger and forces you to check down to the HB in the flat. Cover 3 with a single high safety can bracket the vertical route, but the dig sitting underneath the deep third often finds the soft spot between the hook and curl zones so trust the initial read there first.

Usage Tips

Identify the safety alignment pre-snap, two high shells are prime dagger windows because the dig will sit in the hole between the linebackers and the deep safeties.

Use the flat route or HB checkdown as a built in hot route answer versus disguised blitzes, since the dig takes time to develop and you need a quick outlet if the rush gets home.

Motion the slot receiver before the snap to get a clean read on man versus zone, if a defender follows the motion you know you are getting man coverage and can prioritize the dig against a linebacker.

Pair this play with Four Verticals or PA Dagger in the same set to keep the defense honest, if they start jumping the dig route sell out to the vertical shots off similar formation and initial route action.

Best called on second and long or third and medium situations where the defense is likely to sit in zone coverage, giving the dig route time to find the soft spot in the middle of the field.