Playbooks

Ace TE Drag

Singleback·Ace·12

Drag Pass Play

Play diagram for Ace TE Drag from Singleback Ace in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

SetAce

Personnel

121 RB · 2 TE · 2 WR

In 6 playbooks

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Breakdown

Singleback Ace TE Drag lines up in 12 personnel and sends both outside receivers on vertical releases up the numbers to clear out the deep coverage while the inline TE runs a drag route across the middle underneath. The backside TE from the bunched look works a quick out breaking away from the drag to occupy the flat defender and create a natural rub. This is a man beater at its core, using the two verticals to stretch the field and pull man defenders and safeties off the shallow crosser, and the primary read is the TE drag running fully across the formation with the vertical routes as the alert if the drag gets picked up by a linebacker sitting underneath.

Defensive Reads

Identify single high safety pre-snap since that alignment invites the two vertical releases to isolate deep defenders and open the drag underneath. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap since a shallow drop directly into the drag lane can jump the route and turn it into a pick six if the quarterback stares it down. Key the flat defender assigned to the backside out route since a hard jump on that route signals zone coverage and tells you the drag will have room to work against a vacated underneath zone. Cover 3 with a sinking curl to flat defender is the biggest threat to this concept since it can rob the drag route while both verticals get bracketed by deep thirds. Look for blitz packages that send extra rushers up the middle since the drag route can act as a natural hot read against pressure if the TE releases quickly enough before the pocket collapses.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or third and short to medium since the drag route is a quick, high percentage completion that keeps the offense on schedule.

Pre-snap, look for single high safety shells since that tells you the two verticals have a chance to occupy both the safety and any deep half defenders, opening a huge throwing lane for the drag.

If you see man coverage across the board, trust the TE drag immediately off the snap since it is designed to create natural separation working across traffic.

Hot route the backside out route into a quick flat or speed out if the defense shows Cover 2 to prevent a corner from sitting on that route and jumping the drag.

Pair this play with PA Boot Roll or PA Ctr Waggle later in a series since both plays sell run action and eventually attack similar shallow crossing zones, forcing linebackers to hesitate on the drag read.