Playbooks

Counter

Shotgun·Trey Open Offset·11

Counter Run Play Power Run

Play diagram for Counter from Shotgun Trey Open Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrey Open Offset

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 4 playbooks

Balanced Pass OffenseOffense Panthers OffenseOffense West Coast OffenseOffense NFL Live Panthers OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Counter out of Shotgun Trey Open Offset lines up the HB offset to the weak side with the trips bunch to the play side, showing 11 personnel with three receivers stacked wide and a single receiver split to the back's side. The blocking scheme pulls the backside guard and tackle to lead through the play side gap while the front side of the line down blocks, generating a misdirection run that manipulates the linebackers with the initial counter step before the HB presses the hole created by the pulling linemen. This is a power run design built to attack aggressive downhill linebackers and gap-shooting defensive tackles, with the primary read being the play side double team block and the leverage of the pulling guard to decide between the B gap and C gap cutback lanes.

Defensive Reads

Watch the play side linebacker depth at the snap, if he is flowing hard downhill you can cut this back against the grain once the puller seals the edge defender. Identify the Mike linebacker pre-snap, since Counter is designed to occupy him with misdirection before the puller reaches him, a disciplined Mike who reads backfield flow instead of guessing kills this run. Look for edge defenders staying home instead of crashing down the line, a contain-conscious defensive end can blow up the pulling guard's kick out block and force the HB inside prematurely. Check for run blitzes from the weak side A or B gap, since those blitzers can beat the counter action before the double team block develops. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with safeties staying deep, this run hits hard because there is no extra run support crashing down until the second level flows, but a robber or spy defender sitting in the box will diagnose the counter step quickly.

Usage Tips

Run this out of second and short or first and ten to keep the defense honest against your trips formation passing concepts in this set like Y Corner or Four Verticals.

Check the box count pre-snap, if the defense has six or more in the box against 11 personnel you are getting a numbers advantage with the counter action.

Use the fake pulling guards to freeze linebackers, so avoid calling this against defenses that show heavy slant blitzes from the play side since the pullers will get picked off before reaching the second level.

Pair this with HB Off Tackle and Inside Zone from the same set to keep linebackers guessing on run direction, since all three hit different gaps off similar pre-snap looks.

Motion the flanker across formation before the snap to confirm man coverage, if the defender follows you know you can audible to a play-action shot play like PA Read for a big chunk gain.