Playbooks

Bench Switch

Shotgun·Tight Slots·11
BenchPass Play
Play diagram for Bench Switch from Shotgun Tight Slots in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 2 playbooks

Balanced OffenseOffenseWest Coast OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Bench Switch is a switch release concept out of Shotgun Tight Slots that stacks the outside receiver's bench route (flat) underneath the inside receiver's deep out breaking route on both sides of the field, crossing releases at the line to confuse man defenders. To the right, the two receivers cross paths off the snap before the outer man runs the flat bench and the inner man climbs vertically before breaking to the corner, mirrored on the left with the flat runner and a deep crossing route heading to the far sideline. The RB stays in to help protect while the QB reads the switch release side to side, primary progression starts with the deep breaking corner route created by the switch, then works down to the flat bench route underneath if the corner is taken away.

Defensive Reads

Identify press man coverage before the snap, since the crossing switch release is designed to beat physical man defenders who get caught in traffic. Watch the safety alignment, single high shells give up the deep corner route created by the switch while two high shells force you to rely on the underneath bench route instead. Read the flow of the linebackers after the snap, if they widen with the crossing routes it opens up the middle of the field for a late developing route. Key on cornerbacks who fight through the rub, a good user defender can stay attached to the switch release and take away both the flat and the corner route on that side. Watch for a hard edge blitz off either side, since the switch release takes time to clear traffic and quick pressure can force the QB to check down before the routes fully develop.

Usage Tips

Attack man coverage first since the switch release at the snap creates natural rub traffic that hangs up man defenders trying to stay attached through the crossing point.

Check the defense pre-snap for single high safety looks, if you see one deep safety the switch concept has a great chance to win over the top on the corner route.

Hot route the running back into a checkdown or quick flat if you sense pressure, since the switch release takes an extra beat to develop and the QB needs an outlet against a fast blitz.

Use this on second and medium to second and long where the defense is more likely to play man coverage, then sequence it with Bench or Bench Swap from the same set to keep the picture identical pre-snap while changing the release point.

Against zone shells, work the underneath bench route in the flat since the switch traffic can still displace zone defenders trying to sink into their landmarks.

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