Playbooks

WR Mid Screen

Shotgun·Trips·10

Screen Pass Wr Screen Pass Play

Play diagram for WR Mid Screen from Shotgun Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 4 playbooks

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffense Buccaneers OffenseOffense Shotgun Mix NFL Live Buccaneers OffenseOffense

Breakdown

WR Mid Screen out of Shotgun Trips (10 personnel) is a designed screen pass to the middle receiver of the trips bunch, with the outside receiver stalk blocking downfield and interior linemen releasing to set a wall in front of the catch point. The backside receiver runs a vertical clear-out to pull coverage away from the screen side. This is a zone beater that punishes teams sitting in soft zone coverage or bringing pressure, and the primary read progression is immediate to the trips side screen receiver, with the QB reading whether the underneath defenders bite on the initial mesh before releasing the throw.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage with press corners on the trips receivers is the biggest counter since it disrupts the timing of the blockers releasing and the receiver getting set. Watch for a linebacker or slot defender sitting flat footed in the throwing lane, that is a lurk key that the user is baiting the screen for a jump and pick six. Fast pursuing linebackers who diagnose screen quickly and flow hard to the trips side will blow this up before blockers get set, so avoid this call against aggressive scrape exchange teams. Check safety depth presnap, a single high safety cheating toward the trips side signals the defense may be sitting on the screen tendency. Cover 2 or Cover 3 zone shells with slow linebacker reactions are the ideal shell to attack since the underneath defenders open space for the blockers to work.

Usage Tips

Call this against teams that show heavy zone shells or blitz-happy tendencies since the screen exploits vacated underneath areas.

Watch for defenders crashing hard off the edge presnap since the blocking wall in front of the screen neutralizes exotic pressure and turns a sack into a big gain.

Use the backside vertical route as a decoy to hold the deep safety, then get the ball out fast before flow defenders read screen.

Pair this with Bubble Screen or RPO Alert Screen earlier in a drive so defenders start keying screen action, then hit them with Four Verticals or PA Middle from the same look to keep them honest.

Best used on early downs or in obvious pass funnel situations like third and short, since the play only needs a positive gain to stay ahead of the chains.