Playbooks

Curl HB Burst

Shotgun·Trey Open·11

Curl Pass Play

Play diagram for Curl HB Burst from Shotgun Trey Open in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrey Open

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

Curl HB Burst out of Shotgun Trey Open lines up three receivers to the left with the HB releasing to the flat and a single receiver isolated to the right of the formation. The three-receiver side runs a combo of an out breaking route, a deep vertical clearout, and a short curl, while the isolated receiver runs a vertical seam with the HB bursting into the flat underneath him. This is a zone beater built to attack the flat to curl to seam window with the HB burst serving as the primary check down and the curl or vertical seam as the top read against soft zone coverage.

Defensive Reads

Check linebacker depth pre-snap since shallow drops signal they will jump the HB burst and curl route. Watch the flat defender post-snap, if he widens with the HB the curl route window opens up behind him. Identify single high safety looks since the seam route can split zone coverage if the safety bites on the trey side vertical. Beware Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with a deep half or quarter defender sitting on the seam route, this can lead to a contested throw. Man coverage with underneath linebackers matched on the HB is a green light to check into a run or quick game concept instead.

Usage Tips

Read the flat defender pre-snap to decide whether the HB burst or the curl route will be open first.

Attack Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells where the curl sits in the void between the underneath zone and deep third.

Use the vertical route on the trey side as a clearout to pull safeties away from the curl and seam combo.

Pair this play with Curls or Curls Combo on early downs to condition the defense to sit on flat routes, then hit the seam behind them.

Best called on second or third and medium when defenses are more likely to sit in zone rather than bring pressure.