Playbooks

Bubble Screen

Shotgun·Trips·10
Screen PassBubble ScreenPass PlayOption Route
Play diagram for Bubble Screen from Shotgun Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffenseRun And Shoot OffenseOffenseSpread Classic

Receiver routes

Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.

See this play with a team's players
PlayerSideRoute
HB1RightPass Block
SLWRRightBubble Screen
WR1LeftOption Route
WR2RightRun Block
SLWR2RightRun Block

Read progression

  1. SLWR right, Bubble Screen
  2. WR1 left, Option Route

Breakdown

Bubble Screen out of Shotgun Trips is a quick-hitting screen pass designed to get the ball into space with blockers in front. The diagram shows the two outside trips receivers blocking downfield while the inside slot receiver bubbles out behind the line of scrimmage, and the QB gets a lightning quick throw to that bubbling receiver as the isolated backside X streaks vertically to hold single coverage. The primary read is pre-determined: the QB fires the bubble to the slot receiver immediately off the snap and lets the blockers work, making this a numbers and leverage play rather than a true progression read.

Defensive Reads

Watch for slot corners or nickel defenders playing outside leverage on the trips side, since bubble screens struggle against defenders sitting flat with eyes on the backfield. Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with sink and squat linebackers can undercut the bubble throw if the underneath defender reads run action quickly. Blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge away from the screen side get gashed hard by this play since the numbers advantage is immediate. Look for a user-controlled defender sitting in a shallow zone or spying the backfield, a smart user can jump the bubble route and turn it into a house call the other way. Man coverage with no help underneath is the softest look for this play, since the blockers only have to beat one or two defenders in space before it turns into a explosive gain.

Usage Tips

Use this against aggressive man coverage or blitz-heavy defenses since the ball comes out before the rush can develop, taking away the pass rush entirely.

Check the corner and slot defender depth pre-snap, if they are playing tight press or crashing hard off the edge, the bubble has room to work behind the leverage.

Throw this on early downs or short yardage to stay ahead of schedule, especially on 2nd and short or 3rd and 2 or less where the blockers only need to spring a few yards.

Pair this with RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Base Alert Bubble in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect both the give read and the standalone screen look, creating hesitation.

User the backside outside blocker at the top of the screen to seal the first defender to arrive, since that block often decides whether this picks up 4 yards or breaks for a big gain.

Other Plays in Trips