Playbooks

Four Verticals

Shotgun·Trips Y-Flex·11
Four VertsPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 BeaterDeep CrossCrosserFadeFlatStreak
Play diagram for Four Verticals from Shotgun Trips Y-Flex in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 8 playbooks

Cardinals OffenseOffenseElites OffenseOffenseFalcons OffenseOffenseLions OffenseOffenseMadden OffenseOffenseNFL Live Cardinals OffenseOffenseNFL Live Falcons OffenseOffenseNFL Live Lions OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Trips Y-Flex sends four receivers vertical to stretch the deep secondary, with the trips side stacking two seam routes and a deep out breaking route while the backside X runs a straight go route up the sideline. The HB stays in to block off the diagram, protecting the quarterback in shotgun so all four eligible receivers can climb the field simultaneously. This is a pure man and zone beater built for Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells, and the primary read progression starts with the inside seam (Y) on the trips side, works to the deep out breaking off the seam, and comes back to the backside go if the safety cheats over.

Defensive Reads

Identify the middle of the field safety before the snap, a single high look tells you Cover 3 or man coverage is likely and the seams will be open against zone drops. Watch for two safeties rotating deep at the snap, this signals Cover 2 or Cover 4 and means you should target the deep out breaking route sitting in the void behind the corner. Key the underneath linebackers and nickel defender, if they sink deep into seam passing lanes instead of widening to the flat, the defense is playing a version of Tampa 2 or a robber concept designed to take away this exact route combo. Watch for user pressure off the edge since the HB is the lone blocker, if the defense brings a nano blitz or overloads one side, you may need to throw hot before your verticals fully develop. Against man coverage, look for corners playing outside shade with no safety help over the top, that alignment means your seam runners can win vertically before the defensive back can recover.

Usage Tips

Check pre-snap safety alignment before the snap, if you see two deep safeties split evenly you are likely looking at Cover 2 and the deep out route sitting behind the corner will be your best window.

Against single high shells like Cover 3, target the seam routes immediately since the middle of the field safety cannot cover both verticals up the pipe.

Use the HB check release as a coverage indicator, if a linebacker widens out to cover the flat or blitzes off the edge you have extra time to climb the seam progression.

Hot route the backside X into a quicker breaking route on third and short to give yourself a faster underneath option if the defense shows heavy pre-snap pressure.

Pair this call with Curls or Stick from the same set to keep the defense honest, since both plays start from identical trips alignment and disguise your vertical intentions until after the snap.

Other Plays in Trips Y-Flex