Playbooks

Empty Vertical

Shotgun·Trey Y-Flex·11
Pass PlayFour VertsGoSeamCornerOutQuick PassCover 2 BeaterCover 3 BeaterMotion
Play diagram for Empty Vertical from Shotgun Trey Y-Flex in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Empty Vertical lines up out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex with a five wide look, spreading two receivers into a bunch to the left, one receiver isolated to the right, and the running back split out of the backfield in that bunch. The bunch runs a corner route, an out, and a deep out combined with two verticals up the seam and the boundary while the isolated receiver runs a go route up the numbers, creating a true four verts shell with a quick out underneath for a five man route distribution and no blockers to protect. The primary read starts with the seam and go routes on the vertical stretch to attack the deep safeties, then works down to the corner and out routes as checkdowns if the safeties rotate over the top, making this a clear Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater rather than a run, screen, or play-action concept.

Defensive Reads

Check both safeties pre-snap, two high alignment means the four verts stretch will isolate one safety per hash and you should throw off leverage. Watch the flat defender on the isolated go route side, if he sinks with the vertical release the out route underneath opens for an easy completion. Identify user controlled defenders lurking in the middle of the field, a spy or rat defender sitting in the deep middle will squeeze the seam routes and force the quarterback to hold the ball longer. Recognize Cover 2 shells by watching corner depth at the snap, if corners jam and sink the deep outs the corner route from the bunch becomes the primary answer over the top. Diagnose Cover 3 by tracking the middle linebacker drop, if he runs with the seam route immediately this signals man principles mixed into the zone shell and the go route on the isolated side should win one on one.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion to identify if the defense shifts a defender across the formation, which tips man coverage versus a static zone shell.

Key the safeties before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play stresses the seams immediately, if you see one high safety rotate to the four verts stretch on the opposite hash.

Hot route the isolated go route receiver into a slant if you diagnose Cover 3 with a hard flat defender jumping the out route, this creates an instant man beater window versus off coverage corners.

Save this play for second and long or third and medium situations where you need to test a defense that has been sitting in zone shells all game, the vertical stress forces linebackers to make tough decisions on seam responsibility.

Pair this call with Empty Y Cross or Empty Slot Under earlier in a series so the defense respects shorter route combos, then hit Empty Vertical off that tendency to catch safeties creeping up.

Other Plays in Trey Y-Flex