Playbooks
PA FB Dive is a play-action pass off the fullback dive run fake out of the Flexbone Normal formation, designed to freeze linebackers and safeties who key on the run heavy 30 personnel look. The fake to the fullback pulls up-field defenders and linebackers out of their zone drops, opening throwing lanes behind them for the quarterback. This is primarily a zone beater since it attacks linebackers who bite on run fits, and the primary read progression starts with the backside receiver breaking open against a vacated zone before working to the underneath crosser as the checkdown.
Watch linebacker depth pre-snap, if they are stacked tight to the box expecting run support, this play is designed to exploit their aggressive downhill trigger. Read the safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety look signals man coverage underneath which favors your hot routed man beater adjustment. After the snap, key the linebackers first step, if they crash toward the fullback fake, the intermediate zones behind them should open immediately for your first read. Beware defenses that play with disciplined linebackers who sit in their zone drops and do not bite on the fake, since this play struggles against teams that stay patient in cover 3 or cover 4 shells. Watch for a user controlled defender spying the fullback or lurking in the shallow crosser lane, since a smart user rushing off the edge or dropping into a shallow zone can blow up the play design before routes fully develop.
Run this play after establishing FB Dive or Midline Triple at least once or twice so linebackers respect the fullback fake and step up into run fits.
Look for base 4-3 or 3-4 fronts with linebackers playing tight to the line pre-snap since those are the defenders you want to freeze with the play-action.
If the defense shows two deep safeties pre-snap, expect a zone shell behind the fake, so target the intermediate window created by the linebacker bite instead of forcing it deep.
Hot route the backside slot or wing to a quick out or speed cut if you see man coverage press at the line, since the play-action hold gives extra time for a route to separate.
Sequence this with Wb Dive and PA HB Dive in the same drive to keep defenders guessing between actual dive runs and the pass off similar action, then hit this shot when linebackers start cheating up.