Playbooks

Middle Slant

Shotgun·Trips TE Offset Wk·11

Slant Pass Play Curl Corner Drag Crosser Swing

Play diagram for Middle Slant from Shotgun Trips TE Offset Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips TE Offset Wk

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 6 playbooks

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Breakdown

Middle Slant lines up from Shotgun Trips TE Offset Wk with three receivers to the trips side and a single receiver tight to the line on the backside. The backside X runs a quick out to the flat, the trips receivers stack a slant from the outside man crossing to the middle, a vertical seam breaking outside upfield, and a swing/flare route out of the backfield that arcs underneath into the boundary. Blocking is a standard shotgun pass protection with the offset back releasing late into the flare, making this a quick-hitting man beater designed to attack space created by natural picks in the trips bunch. The primary read progression starts with the middle slant working inside leverage, then works to the seam/vertical if the linebacker or nickel jumps the slant, and finally checks down to the flare/swing as the outlet against pressure.

Defensive Reads

Watch the cornerback aligned over the inside slot receiver pre-snap, since tight press alignment signals man coverage and tells you the slant will have a clean throwing lane. Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks into a shallow zone or spies the middle, expect a zone shell like Cover 3 or Cover 4 that can undercut the slant, so be ready to progress to the seam route instead. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle window, this is the biggest threat to the slant since a jumped route here leads to a pick six. If the defense shows a two high safety shell with the corners playing off, this is a zone beater look where the seam and flare become the higher percentage throws over the slant. Recognize blitz packages by counting box defenders pre-snap, if the offense is outnumbered at the line, get the ball out fast on the slant or check down to the flare before the protection breaks down.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or third and short since the slant sits down quickly against man coverage and gets the ball out before pressure arrives.

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man coverage with the corners pressed on the trips side, since the natural rub from the bunch alignment will spring the slant free against man beaters like Cover 1 or Cover 3 press.

If you see a linebacker sitting in the shallow middle zone or a robber concept, hot route the slant into a quicker route or bump the read to the seam runner working vertically past the second level.

Use the flare route out of the backfield as your answer to blitz looks, since it releases outside and underneath, giving you a built in check down against nano blitzes or overload pressure.

Pair this play with Switch Dagger or PA Verts Shot in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect the vertical seam threat, which opens the middle slant window even more on repeated snaps.