Playbooks

PA Deep Curls

Shotgun·Tight Doubles·11

Play Action Pass Play Curl

Play diagram for PA Deep Curls from Shotgun Tight Doubles in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTight Doubles

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

PA Deep Curls runs a play-action fake out of Shotgun Tight Doubles before both outside receivers push vertically and break down into curl routes at the top of the stem, one on each side of the field. The backfield fake pulls up linebackers and the play-action window buys the quarterback time to work outside the numbers on either hash. This is primarily a zone beater designed to sit down in the soft spots of a Cover 3 or Cover 2 shell, with the quarterback's first read going to whichever curl route sits in the bigger window based on the defense's flow to the run fake.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the safeties are showing two high shells, which signals zone coverage that this play is built to exploit with the curl breaks. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If they bite hard on the run fake, the curl windows open up quickly for an easy completion. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender dropping into a lurk spot in the middle of the field, since that defender can jump the curl break if the quarterback stares it down too long. Against Cover 3, the flat defenders and curl to flat defenders are the primary threats to bait the quarterback into a bad read, so check the zone drop landmarks before releasing the ball. This play struggles against aggressive man coverage with press corners, since there is no immediate answer built into the base route concept without a hot route adjustment.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs like first or second and medium when the defense is respecting the run, since the play-action fake needs linebacker flow to be effective.

Check the safety alignment before the snap. Two high safeties with soft corners is your green light for the curls to sit in soft zone windows.

If you see man coverage indicators like a single high safety and tight corner alignment, hot route one of the curls into a corner or out route to counter the man beater deficiency.

Pair this with HB Draw or Inside Zone earlier in a series to sell the run fake and get linebackers cheating up before coming back to PA Deep Curls.

Watch the play clock and snap timing on the play-action fake, since holding the fake too long against an aggressive edge rush can collapse the pocket before the curls break open.