Playbooks

Return Curls

Shotgun·Y Off Trips·11

Motion Curl Pass Play

Play diagram for Return Curls from Shotgun Y Off Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetY Off Trips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 5 playbooks

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Breakdown

Return Curls comes out of Shotgun Y Off Trips with 11 personnel, showing a single receiver isolated to the backside on a vertical route and a bunched trips look to the play side. Off the snap, the trips receiver closest to the ball runs a return path that snaps back into a curl in the intermediate zone, the middle trips receiver breaks off into a short curl near the sticks, and the flat route stretches horizontally underneath the boundary. This is a zone beater by design, since the layered curls sit down in soft spots against zone drops while the flat route occupies underneath defenders, and the primary read progression starts with the low flat option before working up to the nearest curl and then the return curl breaking back to the quarterback.

Defensive Reads

Identify pre snap if the defense is playing off zone coverage with linebackers backpedaling at the snap, since that opens the return curl and short curl windows immediately. Watch for a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the intermediate middle zone, as he can jump the return curl route if the quarterback stares it down too long. Check safety depth before the snap, since a single high safety alignment usually signals Cover 3 which this concept is built to exploit with its layered curls. If the defense shows Cover 2 with corners playing hard outside leverage, expect the flat route to be doubled and prioritize the middle curl instead. Man coverage with press corners on the isolated backside receiver is a red flag, since the vertical stem into a break can get jumped without a hot route adjustment.

Usage Tips

Use this against zone shells like Cover 3 and Cover 2 since the curl and return curl route sit in the soft spots between the underneath zone and deep zone defenders.

Pre snap, check for a single high safety and if linebackers are showing deep drops, key the flat defender first since he dictates whether the flat or the curl underneath him is open.

Hot route the backside isolated receiver into a quick out or slant if you diagnose man coverage, since that route is a vertical stem that man corners will jump in press situations.

Pair this play with Bounce Y Stick or Stick from the same set to keep defenders guessing between quick curl breaks and combo route concepts that attack similar zone landmarks.

Best called on second and medium to third and medium, where the sticks route and return curl give you a built in first down conversion against zone heavy defenses.