Playbooks

Four Verticals

Shotgun·Trey Open HB Str·11
Four VertsPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 Beater
Play diagram for Four Verticals from Shotgun Trey Open HB Str in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Trey Open HB Str sends four receivers vertically up the field to stretch the defense from sideline to sideline, with the HB releasing out of the backfield on a checkdown route while the offensive line picks up protection in the pocket. The two outside receivers on the left and right sidelines run straight verticals to hold the deep corners and safeties, while the middle receiver breaks his vertical stem into a deep post to attack the seam or the middle of the field. This is a classic Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater built to isolate the seams against two deep safeties or attack the single high safety with numbers, with the primary read going from the post breaking route first, then working outside to the vertical stem that shows the most grass based on the shell.

Defensive Reads

Read the middle of the field pre-snap, a single high safety tells you Cover 1 or Cover 3 is likely which opens up the post route working against the vacated seam. Two safeties split deep before the snap signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, in this case attack the seams between the corner and safety since the post has less room to work with. Watch for a user controlled safety sitting in the deep middle hole after the snap, this lurk technique is designed to take away the post so you need to snap your eyes to the outside verticals immediately. Diagnose blitz packages by counting rushers, if the defense brings extra pressure with man coverage behind it, get the ball out quickly to whichever vertical route wins early against man leverage. Cover 3 buzz or Cover 4 quarters with aggressive corner press can shut this concept down if the underneath defenders sink fast enough to take away the seams, so be ready to check down to the HB if all four verticals are blanketed.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment before the snap, two safeties deep means you attack the seams with the post route and one safety deep means you take the outside vertical away from his help.

Use hot routes to convert one of the outside verticals into a comeback or hitch if you see the corner playing off coverage, this gives you a quick answer against soft zones without waiting on the deep shots.

This play hits best on second and long or third and long situations where the defense expects a shorter route concept, catching them off guard with four receivers pushing vertically.

Pair this call with Slot Fade or Fade Stop earlier in a series so the defense respects the vertical shots, then come back to Four Verticals when they start jumping underneath routes.

If the user drops a linebacker into a deep middle hole to take away the post, immediately reset your eyes to the far side vertical since the coverage rotation has weakened one side of the field.

Manually control the post route receiver against Cover 2 to manipulate the safety with a subtle break before accelerating into the seam window.

Other Plays in Trey Open HB Str