Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Post Dig Shot is a play-action shot play out of I Form Close (21 personnel) designed to attack deep coverage with two vertical routes. The diagram shows two receivers running a Post and a Dig from opposite sides, with the outside receiver breaking into a deep Post over the middle while the other receiver climbs upfield before cutting into a Dig at the same depth, creating a natural rub concept near the top of the route stage. This is a man beater built to exploit single high safeties and press corners, with the play-action fake drawing linebackers up to open passing lanes underneath the two breaking routes.
Defensive Reads
Read the safety depth before the snap, a single high safety struggles to cover both the Post and Dig at the same depth. Watch for Cover 3 zone drops, since the Dig route can settle into the intermediate hole if the flow linebacker overcommits to the play-action. User the deep half or deep third defender immediately after the fake to prevent the Post from getting a clean angle to the middle of the field. Identify aggressive linebacker blitzes off the play-action fake, since a hard crash to the run opens up the underneath throwing lane for the Dig. This play struggles against Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with disciplined deep safeties who stay home and refuse to bite on the run fake.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or 2nd and short when the defense expects run based on the I Form personnel, since the play-action fake sells harder against aggressive run fits.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties, be ready to hold the ball and let the Dig sit down in the zone window rather than forcing the Post.
Against man coverage, prioritize the Post route since the deep breaking angle creates natural separation off the play-action rub near the top of the stage.
Pair this shot play with PA Boot Rt or PA Ctr Waggle earlier in a series to condition the defense to bite on run action before hitting this deep shot.
Use max protect or a chip from the extra RB in 21 personnel to buy time for the deep routes to develop, since both routes break late.
