Madden NFL 17 has been improved and changed in many ways. To simply use last season’s best plays in the same way could get you in trouble. Because of the Gap Play and Improved Running Game, your play selection must change, and we’ve provided our favorite plays in the game to help you out.
Play 17
Gun Y Trips HB Wk – Shovel Option
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Browns, Colts
CONCEPT: Shovel Option
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: We prefer to run shovel option more like a “speed” option. Very rarely will you see the defense react where you will pitch the ball inside to the TE trailing the play. Simply read the outside “pitch man” and either keep the ball with QB (if the pitch man stays wide with the HB) or pitch outside to the halfback for a larger gain (if the pitch man jumps to the QB).
Play 16
Gun Trio Offset Wk – Verticals
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Eagles
CONCEPT: Verticals
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: Verticals is not as effective as it has been in previous years. With new “zone rules” implemented to provide a better sense of defensive scheme, you won’t see the free safety jumping the wrong route nearly as often. However, Gun Trio Offset Wk has one of the single fastest routes in Madden 17. The HB on this in pattern is an absolute mismatch against linebackers and most corners in man-to-man coverage. This route is almost a guaranteed 8-12 yards versus man coverage, while you can still throw this pattern as a check down as it crosses to the left against zone. In years past, throwing the ball deep to the WR in verticals was the play. This year, force your opponent to respect this HB route, which will open up the deep ball.
Play 15
Gun Trips TE – PA Slot Corner
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Panthers, Texans, Jaguars, Chiefs
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: In this play, you have the ability to flood the defense to the left sideline by placing the outside left WR on a Streak and the middle WR on a Flat. You can also stress the middle of the field by working the post and the drag together as a “high-low” read. Corners, posts, and drags are all effective against man-to-man, as well. This is one of the more slept on plays in Madden over the years. We feel like it was at its height of use in Madden 13 on last-gen, but will make a triumphant return this year.
Play 14
Gun Trips TE – PA Shot Wheel
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Texans, Jaguars, Patriots
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: PA Shot Wheel is very difficult to defend because all of these routes have the ability to separate against man coverage and also flood zone along the left sideline. When run stock, your opponent will have to make a lot of adjustments to defend this route concept. We recommend placing the tight end on a drag to make their headache a little bigger. With all the focus to the deep left side of the field, the TE will be wide open as he crosses shallow toward the left hashmarks.
Play 13
Gun Trey Open – Fk WR Screen
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Falcons, Chiefs
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: This is a play that has an “unbumpable” fade to the left WR. Use as much speed as possible and take advantage of that free release. If your opponent is not in 2 man under, there’s a very good chance at a one-play lob touchdown. Against most zone looks, we recommend placing the right WR on a drag to create a “high low” over the middle with the inverted C-route. You can also streak the right WR to create a nice flooding concept deep.
Play 12
Gun Bunch HB Str – Y Trail
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Bills
CONCEPT: Texas
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: With four passing options to the right of the QB, this formation makes man-coverage very difficult to run. If your opponent is in man-to-man, defending the HB on his swing route to the right flat will be tough. Oftentimes the linebacker or corner on the left side of the field is responsible for that running back. You can run this as a trail concept against most zone coverages. The outside right WR on his drag will drive the hook zones’ attention, allowing the TE to work in behind for an easy pass over the middle on his “Trail” route. If your TE has enough route running, the trail route can also get open vs. man-to-man, as well. You can also place the outside right WR on a streak to give you a flood to the right side versus zone coverage (streak/corner/HB in flat).
Play 11
Gun Flip Trips – Deep Fork
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Cardinals, Cowboys
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 0 TE | 4 WR
STRATEGY: This play is another quick snapper’s dream. You need to hot route the right WR to a drag in the short yardage scenario, or streak him if you are looking for bigger yardage. The HB on his “circle” route is still one of the best routes to beat man coverage out of the backfield, and provides a great check down against the blitz. The backside C route to the left WR is a great man-beater. We recommend putting a WR with high route running at this position.
Play 10
Gun Split Close – HB Wheel
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Cardinals, Falcons, Colts
CONCEPT: N/A
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: This play is another one of the best quick snapper plays in Madden NFL 17. We recommend placing the outside right WR on a streak to “run off” deep coverage and help create room for the corner on the right. The left WR is on a skinny post, which will beat man-to-man, as well as all Cover 2 Variations in the game. The table routes to the HB and the TE coming out of the backfield are excellent check downs vs. the blitz. The primary read on this play is to look and see if the corner is open. If it’s covered, the table should be open in most zone coverages. Your opponent will need a hard flat and a cloud flat/curl flat on that right side to stop both routes.
Play 9
Gun Empty Bunch Wide – Post Corner Read
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Cardinals, Redskins
CONCEPT: N/A
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: Post Corner Read is a new play from a brand new formation in Madden 17. We recommend messing with the different route combinations you can create by utilizing motion from this play. Any play with a post and a C route in the same play can’t be wrong!
Play 8
Gun Y Trips HB Wk – 5-6 Trap
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Ravens, Chiefs
CONCEPT: Trap
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: Also known as “Wide Trap,” this run is one of the best in the game. On your traditional trap plays, you will leave a defensive tackle unblocked and use a pulling guard to “kick him out” by running inside the block. In the 5-6 Trap, you will leave a defensive end or outside linebacker unblocked. This is a run that has a bit more versatility, allowing you to run inside the trap block, or bounce the run outside for a larger gain. Note that another run from the Shotgun Y-Trips HB Wk made our Top 17 list. If you like to create custom playbooks, you can gash your opponent to both the left and right from this formation!
Play 7
I Form Tight Pair – Power G
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Vikings, Eagles, Bengals
CONCEPT: Power
PERSONNEL: 2 RB | 2 TE | 1 WR
STRATEGY: Power G is a “man’s play” from a “man’s formation” that uses the front side guard to pull out in front of the ball carrier and lead you outside. Most power runs utilize the backside guard and require that guard to have plenty of speed to get out in front of the running back. In this play, you avoid that dilemma. The fullback blocks up into the gap that the guard leaves, allowing you to run inside or outside for a big gain. This run requires the defense to overcommit by putting multiple bodies to the tight end side. If they fail to maintain their gap assignments, this play is a huge gain.
Play 6
Singleback Ace – HB Stretch
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Cardinals, Cowboys, Lions, Bills, Browns, Broncos, Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Jets
CONCEPT: Outside Zone
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 2 TE | 1 WR
STRATEGY: Arguably the best run concept in the game, we feel that HB Stretch from Singleback Ace is the ideal “Stretch” play. Since this formation is symmetrical, you don’t need to use the playmaker feature to flip the run to the opposite side. The QB’s hip patting animation is a dead giveaway. Just flip the play and run to the weak side of the defense. Use the red and green windows to choose the correct side to run toward.
Play 5
Gun Tight Doubles On – Cross Wheels
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Redskins, Texans, Patriots
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: This play has gone by so many names over the years, but this “oldie but goodie” is still one of the best quick snap plays in the game. It has five routes that can all beat man coverage, but also has the ability to stress zone defense both vertically and horizontally.
Play 4
Gun Ace Twins Offset - Posts
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Cardinals, Vikings, Eagles, 49ers, Bengals
CONCEPT: Flood
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 2 TE | 2 WR
STRATEGY: Posts provides a number of concepts in the same play. By default you have the “Fork” concept in which the outside WR runs a post while the slot receiver runs a corner. However, a simple hot route of the outside WR to a streak creates a “Flood” concept. Underneath, you have the ability to work the “Texas” Concept with the right-side tight end and the HB on an angle pattern. When paired with the excellent runs in this formation (Inside Zone/Outside Zone), this is one of the hardest passing plays in Madden NFL 17 to defend.
Play 3
Gun DBLS Y-Flex Offset – Fork Wheel
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Vikings
CONCEPT: Switch
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: In this formation, you have the “Switch” concept, which has been useful in Madden for years. Cover 3 Match is a new defense this year. It does a very good job against most 2x2 set (two WRs to the left, two WRs to the right). In Cover 3 match, you see a lot of man-to-man principles. Switch is a great way to work against these “zone rules.” On the other side of the formation, you have the “Fork” concept with a corner and a post together. These routes also perform well against man-to-man. The check down to the RB on the in route out of the backfield proves very useful versus softer underneath zones, as well as blitzes. If you’re struggling to beat the Cover 3 Match, utilize motion of one of the WRs on the “Fork” side of the play to the left to create a Trips look. Cover 3 Match automatically defaults to a traditional Cover 3 zone against any Trips set, as the “zone rules” are not equipped to deal with the stresses that three WRs to a single side provide.
Play 2
Gun Tight Slot Open – Bench Switch
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: 49ers
CONCEPT: Smash
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: This is a simple play-action flood concept. The skinny post is in an excellent position to attack man-to-man and every variation of Cover 2 in Madden NFL 17. The left slot receiver’s crossing route will be quick to cross to the right side of the field due to the alignment of the formation. Use your QB’s legs to roll out to the right and look deep to short in your progression. You will want an option with high route running in the right slot, as the whip pattern is very reliable in the check down.
Play 1
Singleback Tight Slots – HB Wheel
TEAM PLAYBOOKS: Panthers, Patriots
CONCEPT: N/A
PERSONNEL: 1 RB | 1 TE | 3 WR
STRATEGY: Stiffmeister’s (the Madden 16 Champion) favorite play makes its return in Madden 17—and it might be better than ever. This play is a quick snapper’s dream. It’s designed to beat man-to-man, Cover 2 zone variations, and Cover 3 variations with almost no set up at all. Motion snap the corner to the wide side of the field to really stress out zone coverage.