Playbooks

Curl Flats

Shotgun·Spread·10

Curl Pass Play Flat Angle

Play diagram for Curl Flats from Shotgun Spread in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetSpread

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 7 playbooks

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Breakdown

Curl Flats out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel gives you a classic curl flat combo on both sides of the field for a true progression read. The backside runs a curl at the sticks with a flat route underneath, while the frontside receiver marked 1 runs a curl route with a flat route working underneath him as well, and the middle receiver runs a deep dig to hold safeties over the top. This is a zone beater at its core since it stretches hook and curl zone defenders vertically and horizontally, forcing linebackers and corners to choose between the flat and the curl sitting down behind them.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, check linebacker depth and spacing since shallow, tight linebackers signal Cover 3 or Cover 1 where the flat routes will be picked up quickly by underneath defenders. Watch the corners at the snap, if they sink hard into the curl windows immediately you are likely facing Cover 3 zone drops, which means the flat route becomes your quick answer. Key the safeties post snap, if both stay deep and split the field it is likely a two high shell like Cover 2 or Cover 4, which opens the curl routes against soft zone corners playing under. User-controlled lurk defenders sitting in the middle hook zone are the biggest threat to the deep dig crosser, so if you see a defender flashing there abandon that read and work the curl to flat combo instead. Blitz-heavy Cover 0 or Cover 1 man pressure looks shut this play down quickly unless you hot route the flat into a quick breaking route, since curl routes need time to develop against man coverage with no safety help.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or single high, since this concept thrives against zone shells that leave curl to flat windows open.

Use the flat routes as your first read against Cover 3 sky or cloud looks where the corner is sitting on the curl, then work back to the curl if the flat defender jumps the underneath route.

Against man coverage, hot route the flat receiver into a quick out or speed out to create separation immediately off the snap since the natural curl flat spacing is not designed as a primary man beater.

This play pairs well with Four Verticals or Y Stick in the same set to keep linebackers honest, since defenses that key on the flat routes will get burned by verticals off similar formation and motion.

Best used on second and medium to third and short since the curl routes settle in around 10 to 12 yards and the flats provide a safe checkdown against a blitz.