Playbooks

RPO Alert Bubble

Shotgun·Trips TE·11

RPO Pass Play Run Play

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Play diagram for RPO Alert Bubble from Shotgun Trips TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips TE

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

Breakdown

RPO Alert Bubble is a run/pass option out of Shotgun Trips TE that pairs an inside zone handoff read with a bubble screen to the slot receiver in the trips bunch. The offensive line executes zone blocking to the play side while the outside trips receiver runs a hitch to hold the corner, the middle trips receiver bubbles out behind the line of scrimmage, and the backside receiver runs an alert route up the sideline off a quick out cut. The primary read is the alley or slot defender: if he crashes down on the run fit, pull and throw the bubble, if he sits or widens to cover the bubble, hand the ball off on inside zone.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify the slot or alley defender assigned to the bubble receiver since his run/pass conflict decides the entire play. Look for a single high safety shell with the corner playing off the trips side, that structure tends to load the box and invites the bubble throw. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the play side linebacker steps up immediately into the run fit, the bubble screen is the correct answer against most man and zone blitz packages. Cover 3 sky and Cover 4 match tend to keep the alley defender in conflict long enough for the run to hit, while Cover 2 with an aggressive nickel defender flying out to the bubble immediately shuts down the perimeter throw and forces the zone read. Post-snap, watch for a lurking user controlled defender sitting in the throwing lane to the bubble, since a smart user will jump the flat and bait the quarterback into a turnover.

Usage Tips

Check the box count pre-snap and count defenders inside the tackles versus the trips side to decide whether the zone hand off is live before the snap even happens.

Use this on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage since the RPO structure gives you a built in conflict for the defense regardless of front.

If the defense shows a hard robber or cheats a linebacker toward the trips bubble look, hot route the alert receiver into a deeper vertical stem to punish overcommitted defenders.

Sequence this with straight Inside Zone and RPO Zone Alert Bubble in the same set so the defense cannot key on ball placement, forcing linebackers to freeze on the mesh point.

Pair with Slot Quick Flat or Slants later in a series once the defense starts sprinting the alley defender outside, since those concepts attack the vacated middle of the field.