Circle Left

Description

Circle left is another 3 Gun play originally designed primarily for the open field that was somewhat abandoned until I discovered its great goal line utility. It's also an excellent compliment for Flood Left SE Iso because it primarily targets the right side rather than the left.

Near the goal line (it works best in the 3 to 10 yard range) the primary target is the right split end inside the flanker. The flanker runs a quick hook that should draw the attention of the outside defensive back. If you are right on the goal line, this hook may be your best shot. Meanwhile, the right SE runs a slanted out route that should cross behind the flanker right after he makes his turn. The likely defender for the SE is a safety or linebacker, which the SE should be able to easily run away from, making this the primary read and the best chance to score. The key is getting the corner to commit underneath, and getting the right touch on the pass to lob it over the flanker and corner and away from the inside defenders.

If the right side is blanketed, there's probably an opening on the left side. The left RB runs a circle route to open up right over the middle, while the right RB follows him around the left side to work up the left seam. These circle routes will cause matchup problems for man coverage because the defender has to run a long way to get to where his man is going. Finally, the left SE runs a slanted post route directly over the middle. This is not a great target close to the goal line because its easy to catch the ball out the back of the end zone, but in the open field this route has the best big play potential. Additionally, it works off of the slant out pattern the same way the slant out works off of the hook, running behind defenders that are already committed.

Player Assignments

See the Madden Playbook Guide for a description of these symbols.

Read Progression

1. Flanker hook
2. Right SE out
3. Left SE slant post
4. Left RB circle
5. Right RB flats/seam

This progression is very straightforward, you just read the receivers in a counter-clockwise circle around the center. However, things happen quickly close to the end zone, so it's usually best to just key on a few routes. The hook route can usually be ignored as a decoy unless you're within the 3 yard line. Otherwise focus on the out route. If you're under quick pressure it may be safer to immediately dump it to one of the backs rather than trying to lob it over the middle.

Analysis

Pros:

• Right SE can usually run away from coverage for a fairly easy TD
• RBs are often uncovered very close to the goal line, when the defense blitzes heavily
• SE slant post can make big plays in the open field

Cons:

• No blocking backs means that high snap + blitz around end = sack
• Jamming the SE will completely disrupt the primary read
• Out pattern requires a lot of practice to get the timing and accuracy down