Playbooks

Close Flex

Strong I·21

Specialists3DRBGadgetPower HB

Set alignment for Close Flex from Strong I in Madden 27

At a Glance

FormationStrong I

Personnel

212 RB · 1 TE · 2 WR

Plays10

In 3 playbooks

Broncos OffenseOffense Two Back OffenseOffense NFL Live Broncos OffenseOffense

Overview

Close Flex is a Strong I set built around a detached tight end. The fullback stays offset to the strong side and the halfback sits at full depth, but the TE flexes off the line a couple of yards outside the tackle instead of attaching in a three point stance. The two receivers split wide. The backfield stays the same as other Strong I sets, so you keep downhill lead runs, counters and play action, while the flexed TE changes how the defense has to align and who it has to cover.

The flex alignment forces a choice. If the defense treats the TE like a slot and walks a nickel or linebacker out over him, the box gets lighter and FB Dive, Counter Weak and the lead draws hit against a numbers advantage. If the defense stays heavy with base personnel and keeps a linebacker on the TE, that linebacker has to carry him vertically on Mills, PA Lead Draw Shot and PA Boot Slide. That coverage matchup is how this set generates explosive passes out of 21 personnel. The flexed TE also gets a free release with no chip or jam, so he reaches the seam and the flat faster than an inline TE can.

The menu is compact but balanced. You get downhill runs (FB Dive, HB Stretch, Counter Weak), shot play action (both PA Lead Draw Shot versions and PA Boot Slide), a quick passing concept in Drive, a vertical concept in Mills, and constraint plays in HB Slip Screen and PA Sprint HB Flat. The 3DRB, Gadget and Power HB tags fit here: put a receiving back at HB to punish linebackers on the slip screen and sprint flat, or use a bruiser to run the lead and counter game that sets up everything else.

Strengths

The flexed TE creates a built in linebacker mismatch in man coverage, and Mills puts him on a seam or dig against a slower defender while the post clears the deep safety.
Identical backfield looks across FB Dive, both PA Lead Draw Shot plays and Counter Weak make run and pass hard to separate on the play art, and user defenders who trigger downhill on the lead action open the middle of the field.
PA Boot Slide and PA Sprint HB Flat move the pocket away from pressure and create a high to low flood on zone defenses, especially Cover 3 where the flat defender cannot cover both the slide and the corner.
Drive gives you a reliable zone beater and man beater on third and medium: the shallow cross pulls underneath defenders and the dig settles behind them, and you can hot route the TE to a slant or out to change the picture.
HB Slip Screen and HB Stretch punish aggressive edge pressure and nano blitzes by attacking the space the rushers vacate, and the 3DRB and Gadget backs make those plays reliable chunk gains.

Weaknesses

The flexed TE is not a dependable edge blocker, so Cover 0 and edge heavy blitzes off the weak side can win before the FB picks them up on long developing shot plays.
With only two true receivers, defenses can play 2 Man Under or Cover 2 Man and double your best WR while a user linebacker robs the TE seam and takes Mills away.
A user controlled defender sitting in the middle hook zone can take away the dig on Drive and the throwback lanes on PA Lead Draw Shot, and that shrinks the passing menu quickly.
The play count is small, so good opponents will learn your tendencies with FB Dive and Counter Weak and start run committing or loading the box with a single high safety.
HB Stretch struggles when a heavy front sets the edge with the defensive end and outside linebacker, because the flexed TE has a hard angle when he tries to reach block the edge defender.

Usage Tips

Read the defender aligned over the flexed TE before the snap: a linebacker there means Mills or PA Lead Draw Shot to the TE, while a nickel or safety walking down means you check to FB Dive or Counter Weak against the lighter box.

On first and 10 and second and short, establish FB Dive and Counter Weak early, then call PA Lead Draw Shot from the same look once the safeties start triggering downhill on run action.

Against Cover 3 on early downs, call PA Boot Slide and read the slide first; if the flat defender jumps it, hit the deeper crosser or corner behind him before the backside pressure arrives.

When you see heavy blitz or edge pressure indicators, audible to HB Slip Screen or keep the FB in to block on Drive by hot routing the HB to a block, then throw hot to the shallow cross.

In the red zone, use Drive and PA Sprint HB Flat to flood the short field, and hot route the TE to a fade or corner to isolate him against a linebacker when the defense stays in base personnel.