Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA Power O opens with a play-action fake off the Power O run action out of Full House 21 personnel, selling the run fake before the QB works his boot passing concept. Off the fake, one receiver runs a deep vertical seam up the right side (red route) while two receivers on the left/underneath work an out and up combination, with one settling into a short out breaking route and the other climbing vertically up the sideline after an initial angle. This is a play-action shot play designed to punish run-heavy defensive keys and linebackers who bite on the Power fake, with the primary read progression starting on the deep seam route to see if the play-action freezes the safety, then working down to the intermediate out breaking route, and finally the underneath sideline route as a checkdown or high-low man beater against aggressive man coverage.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high safety looks (Cover 1 or Cover 3) since the deep seam route is designed to exploit a safety who steps up to play the run fake. Watch linebacker depth at the snap: if they crash hard downhill to fill run gaps, the play-action freeze is working and the intermediate and deep routes will have wide open throwing lanes. Post-snap, key any user-controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow zone near the sideline route, since that defender can jump the out breaking route if the quarterback telegraphs the throw. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties staying home will squeeze the deep seam route and force the quarterback to check down underneath, so look for cornerback zone drops flattening that route. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the vertical seam route, but disciplined linebackers who do not bite on the play-action can rally and close the throwing window quickly.
Usage Tips
Run this play on early downs or in run-heavy personnel situations where the defense has shown Power O or HB Slam tendencies from this same formation to maximize the linebacker freeze on the play-action fake.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap: if you see a single high safety cheating up to respect the run, take a shot on the deep seam route immediately off the play-action fake.
Hot route the underneath out route into a quick flat if you diagnose Cover 2 or Cover 3 zone drops, since the shallow zone beater window opens fast against linebackers sprinting to their landmarks.
Pair this call with Power O and HB Slam earlier in a series so the defense keys run and starts crashing downhill, then hit them with this play-action shot for an explosive gain.
Avoid calling this on obvious passing downs since the run fake loses credibility and linebackers will sit back in coverage rather than bite, killing the deep seam window.
