Playbooks

Curls

Shotgun·Trips·10
CurlPass PlayBlock and ReleaseOutPost
Play diagram for Curls from Shotgun Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 5 playbooks

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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
HB1RightBlock and Release Hook
SLWRRightPost
WR1LeftCurl
WR2RightCurl
SLWR2RightOut

Read progression

  1. WR2 right, Curl
  2. WR1 left, Curl
  3. SLWR2 right, Out
  4. SLWR right, Post
  5. HB1 right, Block and Release HookCheck-down

Breakdown

Curls out of Shotgun Trips sends the backside X on a vertical release that breaks outward at the top of his stem, while the two inside trips receivers work a curl and flat combo on the strong side, with the innermost slot sitting down at intermediate depth and the outside trips receiver clearing to the flat. The lone running back stays in to protect against pressure off the edge, giving the quarterback a clean pocket to work through his progression. This is a zone beater at its core, using curl routes to settle into soft spots between linebackers and safeties, with the primary read starting on the strong side curl before working to the flat and backside curl if the window is late.

Defensive Reads

Watch pre-snap safety depth, since a two high shell signals Cover 2 or Cover 4 which leaves the curl windows open against zone drops. If the corner over the backside X is playing tight man with no help, expect the underneath curl to be taken away and lean on the trips side instead. Post-snap, track the flat defender's leverage, if he sinks too deep the quick flat route becomes an easy pitch and catch before the linebackers can recover. Look for a user lurking underneath the strong side curl in short zone drops, since this is the most common way defenders sit on the route and jump the throw. Cover 3 with a hard closing outside linebacker can undercut the curl route quickly, so be ready to climb the progression to the backside curl if the strong side window is jumped.

Usage Tips

Read the strong side curl first since that route sits in the natural void of most zone shells and gives the fastest access against Cover 3 or Cover 4.

If the cornerback is playing off at the snap, hot route the flat defender's man into a quick out or slide the trips stack to attack a soft corner before the ball is even snapped.

Use this on second and medium or third and short since the curl depth matches sticks to gain conversion yardage without needing a home run route.

Pair Curls with Four Verticals or 60 Go from the same Trips set so defenses cannot sit on the short curl windows once you have shown it a few times.

Keep an eye on the backside single receiver's curl route as a checkdown against man coverage if the trips side is jumped by an aggressive underneath defender.

Other Plays in Trips