Playbooks

Four Verticals

Shotgun·Wing Flex Offset·12
Four VertsPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 Beater
Play diagram for Four Verticals from Shotgun Wing Flex Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Shotgun Wing Flex Offset sends four receivers vertically to stretch the field horizontally and vertically, with the two outside receivers releasing up the numbers while both slot options climb the seams. The X receiver on the boundary runs a shorter vertical to occupy the flat defender and hold the corner, while the running back releases up the middle as a check down option underneath the seams. This is a classic Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater built to attack the seams between the safeties and the honey hole against single high looks, with the primary read progression working from the seam routes to the deep outside verticals and settling to the checkdown if the coverage stays deep.

Defensive Reads

Read the middle of the field safety at the snap, if he stays flat footed or bites on the running back's release up the middle, throw the seam route immediately before he can recover. Watch the cornerbacks at the line, if they play with outside leverage and no safety help over the top, this indicates man coverage or Cover 3 and the seams will be wide open against zone drops. Identify user controlled defenders dropping into a deep middle robber or lurk technique, since a rangy user safety sitting in the honey hole is the main threat that can jump the seam throws. Look for Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells with two deep safeties staying disciplined and matching the verticals stride for stride, this shell shuts down the play and forces a checkdown read to the running back. Recognize a five or six man pressure with man coverage behind it, since the extra rusher creates a shorter window to throw and rewards a quick decisive read to the open seam before the pocket collapses.

Usage Tips

Take a pre-snap look at the safety alignment before the snap, two deep safeties splitting the field evenly signals Cover 2 and tells you to work the seams before the safeties can rotate over the top.

Against Cover 3 looks, target the seam route on the side away from the rotating safety since that lane opens up as the deep third defender bites on the outside vertical.

Hot route the running back into a check down or flat route if you diagnose a heavy blitz look, this gives you a built in answer against pressure without needing to burn a timeout.

Pair this play with Mtn Bench Spacing or Y Lead Read Opt earlier in a series to bait linebackers into shallow zone drops, then come back to Four Verticals to hit the seams once they overcommit underneath.

Use this on second and long or third and long situations where defenses are more likely to play soft zone shells, since the vertical stress forces safeties to choose between deep thirds and the seam voids.

Other Plays in Wing Flex Offset