WR Screen plays are some of the most dangerous in the game. In this tip, SportsGamer's going to break down the Shotgun Twin TE WR Screen play to show you how using motion when throwing this pass can help you consistently pick up yardage. What makes this play so effective is not only being able to tell if your opponent's in man coverage, but it also forces your opponent to make a manual play on the ballcarrier if they want to stop it.
Shotgun Twin TE Trips - WR Screen
Console(s)
XBOX 360 / PS3Quick Setup
Step 1 - Motion the receiver (X) running the screen to the right and snap the ball just before he sets.
Step 2 - Slide to the right with the quarterback and press right on the d-pad as you make a bullet pass to this receiver (X).
Play Breakdown
Check out the defensive assignments for the Shotgun Twin TE Trips above. Executing these types of screen plays the way that we're about to show you will work with any play where a receiver has the "bubble" screen route. However, you'll want to utilize this route out of formations that allow you to motion the player all the way to the outside on the opposite side of the field.
Defensively, our opponent is in man to man coverage and has called for bump n' run coverage on the outside receivers. This play will work against man and zones, but a zone defenses with a defender in the flats can be problematic. The last few optional changes that we like to make on the field before beginning the play is hot routing both the (A) and the (B) receivers to perform streaks. Making these two changes not only pulls the safeties deeper down the field, but it also gives us an option deep if our opponent creeps down too far. Next, we hot route the (Y) receiver to perform a drag over the middle of the field to give us another option just in case our opponent audibles right before we take the snap. Now we're ready to begin the play.
We motion the (X) receiver running the screen all the way to the right side of the field and snap the ball just as he starts to set his feet and line up once again. Calling for the snap correctly requires timing, but it's easy to master with just a little practice.
As soon as we take the snap we begin rolling to our right with the quarterback. The reason we roll to our right is to make the throw a little shorter out wide. Meanwhile, our receiver begins running his screen route by moving towards the sideline.
We make the throw after rolling out about 2-3 yards to our right by holding right on the d-pad and firing a bullet pass. Our receiver hauls in the pass as the defender is 2-3 yards out of position already.
It will be in your best interest to use a receiver with good speed to be able to get upfield as quickly as possible. The end result on this play is a gain of almost 10 yards and another very annoying factor on offense that our opponent is now going to have to worry about.
Final Thoughts
Utilizing the WR Screen plays in this fashion can be extremely difficult to stop for your opponent. For one, you'll know immediately if your opponent is in man to man defense the moment you motion him across because his defender will follow. Secondly, your opponent has to click on to the defender guarding this receiver almost immediately if he wants any chance at making a tackle before you get upfield. Lastly, after you've done this a couple times your opponent will be forced to respect this as an option every time you send someone in motion the rest of the game. The bottomline is WR Screens are nothing but trouble when placed in the hands of a skilled user. Check these great plays out the next time you hit the sticks!
