Playbooks

Jags Stick HB Circle

Shotgun·Trey Open·11

Stick Stick Concept Pass Play

Play diagram for Jags Stick HB Circle from Shotgun Trey Open in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrey Open

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

Run N Gun OffenseOffense Superstar HB Receiving

Breakdown

Jags Stick HB Circle runs a classic Stick concept out of Shotgun Trey Open, with a three man nub side (out of the trips) and a two man backside combo to the TE and HB. The trips side runs a corner route, a shallow flat route, and a stick/hitch settling underneath, while the backside TE runs a vertical seam that breaks into an out route at the numbers and the HB releases into a circle route out of the backfield for a checkdown or man beater against linebackers. This is a versatile man and zone beater, with the primary read starting on the trips side stick to flat combo before working back to the HB circle route as the outlet against blitz or if the underneath zones are clogged.

Defensive Reads

Watch the slot cornerback pre-snap, since his depth and alignment will tell you if he is sitting in a zone drop or shadowing the stick route in man coverage. If the defense shows two deep safeties, expect the underneath linebackers to widen for the flat and stick routes, which opens up the TE out route breaking to the sideline. Beware of user controlled linebackers sitting in the shallow zone or lurking near the stick route, since this play struggles against a hard inside linebacker spy or a defender jumping the stick route. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender can take away the flat route, so key the corner route to see if the deep third defender bites, which opens a throwing lane behind him. Man coverage with an overload blitz off the edge is the biggest threat to this play, so identify the extra rusher pre-snap and be ready to get the ball out quickly to the HB circle route or the stick route as a hot read.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a hot route check to identify if the defense is showing Cover 2 or Cover 3, since the corner route on the trips side will attack the seam between the flat and deep defenders in those shells.

Against man coverage, key the stick route settling underneath since it creates natural rub traffic for the flat route runner, making it a reliable man beater on third and short.

The HB circle route is your best friend versus blitz heavy defenses, so if you see linebackers crashing downhill pre-snap, get ready to check it down quickly for positive yardage.

Pair this play with Y Cross or Mesh Dig from the same set to keep defenses honest, since both plays attack different levels and force linebackers to respect multiple crossing patterns.

Best called on third and medium to long, since the combination of the stick concept and the deep out from the TE gives you options at three different depths to move the chains.