Playbooks

HB Mtn TE Mid Screen

Shotgun·Trio Y-Flex·11

Screen Pass Hb Screen Te Screen Motion Pass Play

Play diagram for HB Mtn TE Mid Screen from Shotgun Trio Y-Flex in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrio Y-Flex

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 7 playbooks

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Breakdown

HB Mtn TE Mid Screen is a screen pass out of Shotgun Trio Y-Flex that uses a pre-snap HB motion to help sell run action before releasing the TE into the middle of the field as the screen target. The two outside receivers to the left run a deep vertical and a corner/comeback combo to hold the deep defenders and clear out the underneath zone, while the offensive line shows pass protection and works to get bodies out in front of the TE screen. The far right receiver runs a straight vertical stem to occupy the deep third defender on that side. This is a zone beater designed to attack teams that drop into soft zone coverage or bring pressure up field, and the primary read progression is TE mid screen first, then work outside to the vertical routes if the screen is covered or diagnosed.

Defensive Reads

Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow or blitzes through the A or B gap the screen has almost no time to develop and will get blown up. Watch for a defender spying the backfield motion, a lurking linebacker sitting in the shallow middle zone is the biggest threat to this concept and can jump the TE screen for a big loss. Man coverage with no underneath help tends to struggle against this since the TE releasing to the screen creates natural separation once blockers get out in space. Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone shells with linebackers dropping to intermediate levels open the passing window for the screen but also put a defender in position to read and react if he stays disciplined. If the defense shows a nano blitz or edge pressure package pre-snap, expect the screen to be the answer, so as a defender you must slow play the rush and scan for the TE leak rather than crashing up field unchecked.

Usage Tips

Use the HB motion pre-snap to identify if the defense shifts a linebacker or safety over the top, which tells you if the screen is tagged by a spy or lurk defender. This play hits best against zone coverage shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 where linebackers drop deep and vacate the shallow middle window. Call this on early downs or second and medium when defenses are more likely to sit back in zone rather than bring man pressure. Pair it in a sequence with Mtn Corner Y-drag or PA Dagger to condition the defense to respect intermediate and deep shots, then dial up this screen to punish aggressive linebacker blitzes. If you see Cover 0 or a heavy blitz look pre-snap, be ready to hot route the TE to release quickly since blitzing linebackers can blow up the screen before blockers set.