This is the hardest playbook to master in Madden and you will throw a lot of interceptions when you are learning it. Do not expect quick results but do not be discouraged. It will come with time.

The Run and Shoot playbook is based completely on reading the defense pre-snap, post-snap and figuring out what your opponent is doing. So paying attention to his defense is paramount. You can not go into zombie mode and just throw the ball to a route, because either it’s going to break funny on you or you’ll make the wrong read. The option routes break depending on what coverage is called so it’ll take extra time to learn them but having the knowledge of what your WRs are doing to take advantage of coverages is very advantageous.

The only defense I’ve struggled against with this is a cover 3 nanoer that can stop the inside zone. If you are facing this very common defense, you need to beat it the way you do with a more traditional offense, flat routes and quick passes. Luckily most of the Run and Shoot has an RB blocking so the concepts aren’t reliant on an RB catching the pass when you need him to block the nano along with slide protection.

Please see this post on how to read defenses, you will need to know this to succeed with this offense.

This playbook needs very specific personnel to work.

I suggest 90 LP style for the added accuracy, pass blocking and route running. The route running is key.

QB – No specific archetype. Get the best one you can afford. Throw power and accuracy is needed but accuracy will be boosted by LP. Mobility is a big plus against drop-8 coverages.

RB – Ideally a rotation of good backs. Your main should have good pass blocking, speed, all around solid stats. A speed back for arrow routes, a 3rd down receiving back and a power back for FB dives and the like.

FB – Not used in this playbook except kickoffs/kick returns and goal line. Go cheap here.

Wide receivers are the most important part of this playbook. You’ll always have 4 on the field so good depth at each spot is needed for fatigue reasons.

WR #1 – Tall spec catch guy, some speed. Needs to be able to stretch the defense. Run blocking for inside zone is a plus.

WR #2 – Same as #1.

WR #3 – SPEED (high 90s), Route Running (91 or more so LP over 90 means >96 RR) Combine Cooks is the ideal here.

WR #4 – Same as #3 (MVP Tavon Austin is very good here)

TE – Not used in this playbook except in kickoffs/kick returns and goal line.

Offensive line – Pass blocking, awareness and mobility is needed in that order. But with 90 LP you get +5 boost to pass blocking. So having a slightly better run blocker than pass blocker is okay. I would suggest having some backup o-linemen because they can get tired quickly in this offense.

Here is the artwork to help you visualize every play

HOW TO READ THIS GUIDE

Look at the play art in the link above or on your practice field. I’ve listed how each of them break against the different coverages. If I say “Cover 4 – Curl” Then in the option pattern, the player is running a curl route instead of the other choices presented. If I want you to audible I will say it.

And there is a lot of crossover between formations with the route combos they offer. The option routes behave the same no matter if you are in Pistol or Shotgun, just know what they do and you should be set when scrolling through menus.

Pistol Trips Open

Levels Switch

-Glitch against press man 2 or any man coverage. Best play in the game against man coverage IMO.

-Audible Drag inside Trips WR

-Audible Swing HB right (clearout of MLB)

-Middle WR has unbumpable crazy separation route. Need Speed and Route running. Combine Cooks is amazing here with LP style.

Four Verticals (hot route)

-Audible backside to a drag route.

-If you see one high free safety the middle WR should be open once it passes the yellow zones in cover 3. If they audible extra defenders deep, throw the drag.

PA Boot (hot route)

-levels concept. Find the most open WR crossing the field

Slot Corner

-A good “Sail” Concept (streak, corner, flat) but the funky corner route I’ve seen beat man at times although it’s not an amazing concept against it.

-Audible Streak Far Trips WR. Against press man, Audible RB to Check and release and inside Trips WR to Slant. Motion Middle WR in then snap so not pressed. Check and release can be great if LB assigned to RB gets engaged with OL.

PA Verticals

Cover 4

-Audible, Swing HB right

-Motion lone streak in

-Hit WR when it crosses formation

Cover 2

-Hit middle WR in the post

Cover 3

-Audible Streak Inside WR

-Audible Curl Far Right WR

-Audible Block HB

-Touchdown if defense doesn’t adjust and you read safety well.

Runs:

Read Option

-Watch the DE and if he hesitates hold A to give to RB.

-IMO Read option is dead with mobile QBs. DE doesn’t bite at high levels of competition any more. You just have dive here which is only okay.

HB Dive

-With a spread defense I’ve seen some very good success with this play. Need to be quick through hole though because wide defenses collapse very hard.

HB Counter

-Another okay run. Counters just develop too slow this year with fast defenders. Haven’t had great success with this run.

Pistol Trips 4WR

61 X Choice

Cover 4

Far left WR – Out route – Good choice – Only 4 yards though

Middle WR – In route – longer to develop and can be tight window. Only throw if user chases in route.

Far right has a 1 on 1. SS stays with in route

-Read high low if you don’t hit out route immediately

Cover 3

Far left WR – Out route – Good choice depending on flat coverage

Middle WR – In route – meh, 2 hook zones make it hard to squeeze.

Far right has a 1 on 1

Short in route for a couple yards works.

Cover 2

DESTROYS IT – Everything is set up to get the middle WR free on the post route

Far left WR – Streak

Middle Trips WR – Post – Hit it when it gets open across the middle. Pass lead up.

If heat’s coming quick, hit short route.

Cover 2 man

Same routes as cover 2 zone. Streak on left, Post in Middle

Audible drag close trips WR and hit him

Hit post route if they get a good release. And even if they don’t with the speed and RR you should get separation between the safeties.

Against Mike Scrape (guide created before patch)

Throw far left.

-If they audible them to flat route, WR goes on auto streak for TD.

WR on left only runs slant when there is no underneath coverage like engage 8. And only against cover 3 or 4 over the top coverage, any hook or flats take him out of his hot slant.

60 Slide – Smart Route Trips Option routes for better depth (on 1st and 10 or equivalent)

Cover 2

Streaks on outside

Post route in center is money (remember to smart route) Float pass over MLB

Cover 2 man

Lone WR – Curl

Wide trips WR – Streak

Near Trips WR – Post

Middle Trips WR – Drag route – audible it.

Cover 3

Lone WR – streak

Near Trips – streak

Outside trips curl for curl flat combo.

Streak in seam is risky but better yards.

Curl flat combo is easy money if you read it correctly but fewer yards than seam route.

Cover 4

Lone WR – Curl

Wide Trips – Curl

Near Trips – Curl

Not the greatest against cover 4 but the curls all provide an outlet underneath the coverage.

60 Go – Not the best

Cover 2

Middle Trips WR – Post Route – Smart route for deeper post, pass lead up.

Cover 2 Man

Middle Trips WR – Post Route – Smart route for deeper post, pass lead up

Cover 3

Middle Trips WR – Seam route

Cover 4

Middle Trips WR – Curl route – Curl Flat combo.

Curl Flat Corner

Streak B – Sail Concept, not a sharp breaking corner route unfortunately but it goes deep and beats zone coverages. Just takes a little bit more to develop making it easier to user.

Z Spot

Streak B – Sail Concept – much sharper than curl flat above but shallower. Smart route for better depth.

Middle Slant

C-Route against man

Curl flat combo on right to beat zone

I’ve come to like this play. It’s better out of the shotgun sets though due to the arrow route from the HB there.

Pistol Spread

60 H Y Option

Motion WR on the short pattern to other side to create trips

Cover 2

A WR (post/in choice) – Post route – Hit it with Pass lead up and you have a TD

Y WR – Drag

Cover 2 Man

A WR – Post route

Y WR – out route

Cover 3

A WR – Square In

Y WR – drag

Cover 4

A WR – Square In

Y WR – non-motioned: hitch, motioned: drag

60 X Option

Cover 2

X receiver – Streak

Hit WR going for middle with middle lead to split the safeties or outside right WR, Chose based on safety position.

Cover 2 man

X receiver – slant

Hit either of the crossers as they should get separation from their men going across the field.

Cover 3

X receiver – Slant

Hit WR in seam

-or hit underneath drag. Or wait for outside slant and bullet it between defenders. It’s risky though. Need to throw the ball as the WR is crossing behind the DB/LB in the yellow zones or the other one will pick it.

Cover 4

X WR – Hitch – Not terrible if the flat zone doesn’t get underneath too quick. Not ideal though.

Cover 0 Blitz

X WR – Streak

Fade Smash – Against cover 4 only

Streak Both left WRs, can drag far right WR if you want something quick.

Hit crossing patterns underneath cover 4

RNS Switch Dig

Streak inside switch route, drag inside WR on other side. – Wait until crosser gets behind cover 4 for auto TD.

RNS Post Drag

Streak Middle right WR

Slant far right

Wait until far left WR crosses formation – large gain

MOVING ONTO SHOTGUN SETS

GUN SETS HAVE VERY SIMILAR PLAYS TO PISTOL, I WON’T RELIST THEM AS THE OPTIONS BREAK THE SAME

Gun Trips HB Weak – Inside Zone, Option routes from above

Smash

This play has a routes that beat every coverage in game.

C-Route and Arrow route for man. (Fast HB on arrow to beat LB to sideline needed)

Audible – Streak inside trips WR to beat zone coverage with corner route.

PA Read

Effective with an overaggressive user at Safety. The Far right route should get open deep against man otherwise the underneath routes are okay.

Corner Strike

Similar look to smash just with 2 c-routes now.

PA WR In

Streak middle trips WR. –Destroys cover 4 with enough time. You all should know this play by now.

Inside Zone

We have very few runs in this playbook but this one is the best in the game and makes the whole thing tick. This will be the basis of this whole Gun Trips HB Weak formation. Run this then the option routes talked about above in the Pistol Sets

-Run blocking WRs are a must for inside zone. Sub in or get some that can do it all.

HB Screen

Self-explanatory – Should be used once a game to keep user honest.

Singleback Spread

PA Slot Crosses – Crossing patterns should be open against most coverages. Throw the one away from user defender.

61 X Choice

See above

60 Go

See above but the motion causes a very fast flat route.

Very nice in combo with the 61 X choice because it mixes up the user.

Flanker Dig

Streak Inside switch route for auto TD against cover 4.

Arrow route to HB is really good.

0-1 Trap

Great run against spread defenses.

Singleback Trips WR

PA FL Stretch

Levels concept again.

Let me know if you guys find anything else in this playbook. Thanks for reading guy!