Playbooks

Curl Combo

Shotgun·Stack Y-Flex·11

Curl Pass Play

Play diagram for Curl Combo from Shotgun Stack Y-Flex in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetStack Y-Flex

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 7 playbooks

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Breakdown

Curl Combo out of Shotgun Stack Y-Flex lines up in 11 personnel with a stacked receiver duo to the left, a slot receiver to the right, and the TE (1) running a vertical route up the numbers. The stacked receivers run a dig and a pivot back to the boundary creating natural rub separation against man coverage, the slot receiver runs a curl at the sticks, and the back releases out of the backfield on a wide flat route for a check down and swing option. This is a man beater built on the pick action from the stack release, with the primary read progression going TE vertical first to attack a hole in zone or beat a linebacker up the seam, then working down to the curl sitting underneath, and finally to the flat/swing route as the checkdown against a hard blitz.

Defensive Reads

Check the depth of the linebackers before the snap, since a shallow drop signals they will jump the curl route and open up the TE seam behind them. Identify single high safety looks, which tell you the middle of the field is more vulnerable to the TE vertical against man or zone drops. Watch the flat defender post-snap, if he widens with the back on the swing route it confirms zone coverage and opens the curl window underneath. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle, since that is the primary way defenses take away the curl read and force you to the flat checkdown. This concept struggles against tight man coverage with underneath help or a robber defender sitting in the curl-flat zone, since it clogs both the primary and secondary reads simultaneously.

Usage Tips

Use this play on second or third and medium when you need a defined sit route to move the sticks against zone coverage. Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high shell, since the TE seam route is your explosive shot if the safety bites on the curl or flat action. Against man coverage, trust the stack release to create natural separation for the dig and pivot combo on the boundary, and look to hot route the flat back into a wheel if you see a linebacker sitting flat footed. Pair this play with HB Draw or Inside Zone from the same set to keep linebackers honest before coming back to Curl Combo on early downs. Sequence this with Levels or Y-Sail later in a series once the defense starts jumping the curl route, since those concepts attack the same landmarks with different timing.