Playbooks

Curl Flat

Shotgun·Trips TE·11
FlatCurlCurl FlatPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 Beater
Play diagram for Curl Flat from Shotgun Trips TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Curl Flat out of Shotgun Trips TE runs a classic curl flat combo to the boundary while the trips side stacks a deep dig, a corner route and a vertical clearout to occupy the far side of the field. The backside receiver runs a vertical stem to hold the single high safety and cornerback deep, opening up the underneath curl flat combo as the primary target zone. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by settling the curl in the hole while the flat route stretches the underneath defender horizontally, giving the QB a high low read on that side. Primary progression starts with the flat route to see if a linebacker overcommits, then works to the curl sitting down in the zone window, before working backside to the vertical if the coverage rotates away.

Defensive Reads

Read the underneath zone defender assigned to the curl flat side, if he sinks with the curl route throw the flat immediately, if he jumps the flat throw the curl behind him. Watch for a user controlled linebacker sitting in the shallow hole trying to jump the curl route, this lurk technique is the biggest threat to this concept and forces you to work the flat or backside vertical instead. Identify Cover 2 shells by checking for two deep safeties pre-snap, this coverage is vulnerable to the curl sitting in the soft spot between the cornerback and safety. Cover 4 or man coverage with press corners can shut this down quickly since the curl and flat routes have limited separation tools against tight coverage, look to hot route the flat into a quick breaking route if you diagnose man pre-snap. Watch for slot blitz packages or nano blitzes off the trips side, since the backside protection is only a single receiver release, a numbers disadvantage on the pass rush can force a quick checkdown to the flat route.

Usage Tips

Use this on second or third and medium when you expect zone coverage since the curl flat combo is designed to exploit soft zone drops rather than beat tight man coverage.

Check the strong safety and slot corner depth pre-snap, if they are sitting at five to seven yards you are likely seeing Cover 2 or Cover 3 and the curl flat side becomes the primary read.

Hot route the flat defender into a quick out if you see the cornerback pressed and playing man, this turns the concept into a quick option throw versus blitz.

Pair this play with Verticals or China Y Post from the same Trips TE set to keep the defense honest on the backside vertical threat, forcing safeties to respect the deep shot before you come back to this rep.

Against Cover 3 defenders sinking into the deep third, throw the flat route immediately off the snap since the underneath zone defender has to widen to the flat, opening the curl window for your next play call.

Other Plays in Trips TE