Playbooks

Four Verticals

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

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

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Breakdown

Four Verticals out of Shotgun Wing Slot Offset sends four receivers vertically up the field, with the outside receivers running seam-benders that bend toward the sideline near the numbers and the two inside receivers (including the wing TE) splitting straight up the middle of the field. The backfield shows a check release or flare route from the running back underneath the verts to hold linebackers and provide a safety valve. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater that stresses deep safeties horizontally, and the primary read progresses from the seam that clears the middle linebacker first, then works to the bending outside vertical if the safety rotates away from it, with the check down as the last resort against max coverage.

Defensive Reads

Identify two deep safeties at the snap, this is your green light for Cover 2 since the seam runners will split the underneath zone defenders and sit behind the linebackers Watch the free safety's initial step after the snap, if he bails to the middle of the field it is Cover 3 and you should key the bending vertical route to the open side Key the middle linebacker's depth and drop, a shallow or aggressive drop opens the inside seam immediately for a big gain Beware disguised Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells with two high safeties that stay deep, this squeezes all four verticals and forces you to rely on the check release underneath Watch for a user controlled safety sitting in the middle of the field acting as a lurk defender, this is the biggest threat to the inside seam and should push your read to the outside vertical instead

Usage Tips

Take a pre-snap look at the safeties before the snap, if you see two deep safeties split wide it is Cover 2 and the seams will be wide open in the honey hole

Against single high Cover 3 looks, target the bending outside vertical since the corner has to respect the sideline and the free safety cannot cover both hashes

Use this play on early downs or after a run play to catch the defense in base personnel, since verts against nickel or dime packages get bracketed easily

Hot route the running back into a flat route or keep him on the check release depending on if you are getting blitz looks, this buys time for the seams to develop

Pair this play with PA Dig or PA Slide in your call sheet since both threaten the same vertical stress but attack different coverage rotations, keeping the defense honest

Other Plays in Wing Slot Offset