Running a great offensive play in Madden usually means that you are utilizing all the options on the field. In this tip, "Da Secret" is going to showcase an extremely advanced way to run the Shotgun Normal Offset WR Option play from the Shotgun Trips TE formation. This is a great play if your opponent is bringing pressure with a cover 1 defense and always using bumping and run on your receivers. Check out how one of the Madden greats likes to flood the field with options when using the WR Option.
Shotgun Normal Offset - WR Option
Console(s)
XBOX, PS2
Playbook(s)
Quick Setup
Step 1 - Place the Shotgun Normal Offset WR Option in your audibles.
Step 2 - Come out in the I-Form Normal HB Middle
Step 3 - Audible to the Shotgun Normal Offset WR Option, then formation shift (formation shift right) to the Shotgun Trips TE formation.
Step 4 - Flip the play and smart route your #2 receiver on the field (X on XBOX and Square on PS2). Then, flip the play back and smart route the #2 receiver (X on XBOX and Square on PS2) again. It's important to place the cone on this receiver before the snap because his route is now unbumpable.
Step 5 - (optional) Place the (White on XBOX and L1 on PS2) receiver on a streak. Next, place the (Y on XBOX and Triangle on PS2) receiver on an inside slant. Then, motion out your tight end to the right and hot route him to perform an outside slant or streak. Then, motion him back to his original tight end postion. Lastly, steal the running back route from the I-Form Normal HB Middle play by pressing.(Y up, then Y up again on XBOX and Triangle up, then Triangle up again on PS2).
Step 6 - Make sure that your cone is on the unbumpable route which is the #2 receiver before the snapping the ball. As soon as you drop back in the pocket with the quaterback, take a half of a step to the left and hold up and right to drill the ball to the receiver.
Step 7 - If the opponent is guarding this route himself, simply either look for the rb to get open over the middle or the outside slant to the tight end.
Play Breakdown
Image 1 - The first thing that you want to do is place the Shotgun Normal Offset WR Option play in your audibles.
Image 2 - As the Carolina Panthers exit the huddle you can see that they have come out in the I-Form Normal HB Middle play.
Image 3 - The St. Louis Rams are using a cover 1 defense that is bringing a lot of pressure off the edges.
Image 4 - Next, we take step 3 by audibling to the WR Option play.
Image 5 - The next step we take is formation shifting to the right to get to the Shotgun Trips TE formation.
Image 6 - This picture is what the play will look like after taking Quick Setup Step 4 listed above. First, we have flipped the play and smart routed wide receiver Drew Carter's route. Then, we flipped the play again and smarted Drew Carter's route for a second time to create an unbumpable route for him on the far left side of the field.
Image 7 - The next few changes that we make are placing running back DeAngelo Williams on a streak, wide receiver Steve Smith on an outside slant, and tight end Michael Gaines on an inside slant. Lastly, we stole the running back route from the orginal play that we came out in by pressing (Y up, then Y up again on XBOX and Triangle up, then Triangle up again on PS2). Now we are ready to begin the play.
Image 8 - A soon as quarterback Jake Delhomme receives the snap, he moves a half step to the left and guns the ball to the receiver as quickly as possible.
Image 9 - Drew Carter blows by the cornerback because of the unbumpable route.
Image 10 - Carter makes the catch and ends up getting out of bounds for a gain of almost 15 yards on the play.
Image 11 - In this image the defender has decided to try to guard the unbumpable by himself. Therefore, we just wait calmly in the pocket as we prepare to throw to running back DeShaun Foster getting open over the middle on his angle route.
Image 12 - Foster makes his initial break over the middle.
Image 13 - We release the ball with Delhomme as soon as Fostergets into the open area.
Image 14. Foster has made the easy reception.
Final Thoughts
If you are running a lot of plays under the center in the Tennessee playbook and you never seem to have enough time, then this is a great play for you to work into your offense. Running a play out of a shotgun formation provides you with plenty of time to make a decision before the pressure gets to you. The play itself is easy to run. However, you'll need to head into practice mode first to get used to all the pre-snap adjustments that need to be made if you want to get the most out of it.
