Playbooks

Bubble Screen

Singleback·Y Trips·11

Screen Pass Bubble Screen Pass Play Fade

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

SetY Trips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

Fix OffenseOffense

Receiver routes

Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.

See this play with a team's players

Player	Side	Route
HB1	Middle	Pass Block
WR3	Right	Bubble Screen
WR1	Left	Fade
WR2	Right	Run Block
TE1	Right	Pass Block

Read progression

WR3 right, Bubble Screen
WR1 left, Fade

Breakdown

Bubble Screen out of Singleback Y Trips is a quick-hitting screen pass designed to get the ball to the slot receiver in space with blockers releasing immediately to set up a wall. The trips side receivers work a natural pick concept while the outside receiver stalk blocks or bails to the second level, and the primary read is simply to throw the bubble as soon as the receiver settles unless the defense shows an obvious sniff or overload to that side. Against man coverage this exploits the natural rub from the trips alignment, and against zone it attacks defenders who drop deep and vacate the underneath flat.

Defensive Reads

Watch for a cornerback or slot defender sitting flat footed near the line of scrimmage on the trips side, this is the number one sign the bubble is covered before the snap. Man coverage with no help defender in the flat gets picked apart by the natural rub from the trips bunch, so identify man versus zone shell before the snap. Zone coverages like cover 3 or cover 4 that ask a linebacker to run the alley to the flat can still make the tackle for minimal gain, so check linebacker depth and pursuit angles post snap. Overloaded blitz packages with extra rushers off the edge to the trips side often leave the underneath area exposed since the blitzer is focused on the quarterback, giving the bubble a lane. User controlled defenders who jump the route immediately after the snap signal a lurk read, so have a built in check to the backside hot route when you see a defender sprinting to the flat pre-throw.

Usage Tips

Use this play on first and second down or short yardage third downs when you need a high floor gain against aggressive fronts.

Check the flat defender pre snap: if a corner or linebacker is sitting hard in the trips bubble area, consider audibling or checking to a different concept since the throw is a low ceiling play into a crowded window.

Hot route the backside single receiver into a quick slant or hitch to give yourself a manual throw option if the defense keys the bubble action immediately.

Pair this with HB Slip Screen and WR Screen from the same set to build a screen package that punishes overaggressive edge rushers and defensive line stunts.

Sequence this after a few Four Verticals or Sluggo Seam calls so defenders start reading pass shell deep and bite less on the flat, opening up the bubble against lighter box counts.