The Gun Y Off Trio Close is one of the best, if not the best, formations in Madden 26. We break it down in detail below!
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Flood (Base Play)
Setup:
- Hot route the X/square receiver to a deep cross
- Hot route the RB/R1 receiver to a streak
Reads:
- Your first read is to peak to see if the B/circle receiver is open right away
- He likely won’t be so then look to your tight end underneath
- Then look to the receiver that is on the deep crossing route
Overview: This is one of our base plays in this formation that can be used against any coverage in the game.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (Base Play)
Setup:
- None required
- (Optional) Block your running back
Reads:
- Your first read is always the tight end on the drag
- Then look to the B/circle receiver on the return route
- Then look to the X/square receiver deep
Overview: Just like with the Flood play, you have some options with what you can do with your X/square receiver and your RB/R1 receiver on this play. The main route combination is the tight end on the drag and the B/circle receiver following him.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (HB Wheel Variation)
Setup:
- Make sure you are on the left hash mark
- Hot route your running back to a wheel and motion him twice to the left
- Hot route your X/square receiver to a streak
Reads:
- Your first read on this play is a quick pass to the RB on the wheel route
- Then look to the tight end on the drag or the B/circle receiver
Overview: The motioned RB wheel route paired with a streak route on the short side of the field works great against a lot of different defenses.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (Cover 3 Beater) – Left Hash
Setup:
- Hot route your X/square receiver to a curl and custom stem him up once
- Hot route your RB/R1 receiver to a post and custom stem him up once
- Hot route your B/circle receiver to a streak
- Hot route your running back to block
Reads:
- Your primary read on this play is the RB/R1 receiver deep against Cover 3 defenses
Overview: Note that this setup also works well against Cover 1 or Cover 4 Drop.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (Cover 3 Beater) – Right Hash
Setup:
- Hot route your RB/R1 receiver to a curl and custom stem him up once
- Hot route the X/square receiver to a post and custom stem him up once
- Hot route the B/circle receiver to a streak and motion him to the left
- Block your running back
Reads:
- Your primary read on this play is the X/square receiver deep against Cover 3
Overview: Your tight end on the drag route is a really good checkdown, or hit the custom stemmed curl route against man to man coverage.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Flood (Manipulating Flat Zones)
Setup:
- Make sure you are on the left hash mark
- Hot route your X/square receiver to a curl route and custom stem it down as far as you can
- Hot route your running back to a swing and motion him to the left side of the QB
Reads:
- Against any light blue zone, the running back on the swing route should get open
- You also have your tight end on the zig route as another option
Overview: This is a really sneaky way to manipulate flat zones that is especially effective near the goalline.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Mtn Mesh Rail (Zone Beater)
Setup:
- Make sure you are on the left hash mark
- Hot route the X/square receiver to a streak
- Hot route the RB/R1 receiver to a return
Reads:
- Against zone coverage, look to the auto-motion wheel route as he gets past the cloud flat or curl flat
- If he is covered, look to the tight end on the drag or the RB/R1 receiver
Overview: This is a nice play to mix in just to give your opponent 1 additional thing to think about.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: 0 1 Trap (And Other Runs)
Setup: None required
Overview: 0 1 Trap from this formation is one of the best run plays in the game but we also have other decent runs from this formation as well.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Flood (Cover 2 Beater)
Setup:
- Left hash mark preferred
- Hot route your X/square receiver to a streak
- Hot route your running back to a wheel and motion him twice to the left
- Hot route your B/circle receiver to a slot fade
- Hot route your RB/R1 receiver to a streak
Reads:
- Against Cover 2 defenes, you can hit either of your two sideline shots
Overview: If you see your opponent in a cover 2 defense, this is a way to get them out of it.
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (Attacking Match Coverage)
Setup:
- Make sure you are on the right hash mark
- Hot roue your RB/R1 receiver to a streak
- Motion your tight end to the left, then put him on a RB wheel route, then motion him back to the tight end spot
Reads:
- Your primary read on this play is the tight end on the wheel route against Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 4 Palms, or Cover 6
- You also have your B/circle receiver and your X/square receiver that can get open
Overview: It is important to leave your running back on his swing route if you are calling this play because that route plays a part in manipulating the defense.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Smash Return (Attacking Match Coverage) – Left Hash
Setup:
- Make sure you are on the left hash
- Hot route your X/square receiver to a streak
- Hot route your running back to a wheel and motion him twice to the left
Reads:
- Your primary read against Cover 4 Quarters and Cover 4 Palms is your running back on a quick pass
Overview: This is another great way to get an opponent out of Cover 4 Quarters/Palms.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Mtn Mesh Spot (Man Beater)
Setup:
- Left hash mark preferred
- Look to your running back on the automotion in the flat
- Then look to either drag route
Reads:
- The tight end on the drag route is so hard for a user to consistently defend without leaving a lot of other routes open
Overview: This play beats any type of man coverage.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Empty Mtn HB Trail (Man Beater)
Setup: None required
Reads:
- Your first read is the X/square receiver against man to man coverage
- Then look to your underneath routes
Overview: This play gives you a good way of getting a huge gain against man coverage but you do need your X/square receiver to win against his man.
Playbook: Jacksonville Jaguars
Formation: Gun Y Off Trio Close
Play: Boomerang Mesh Z Rail
Setup:
- Right hash mark preferred
- Hot route your RB/R1 receiver to a streak
- (Optional) Hot route your X/square receiver to a custom stemmed curl
Reads:
- Against zone coverage, look to the wheel route first then the underneath routes
- Against man coverage, look to the underneath routes first
Overview: You can quickly diagnose whether your opponent is in man or zone coverage by watching the cornerback over the guy in auto-motion.