Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA FB Slide out of the I Form H Tight set sells the run fake to the fullback before releasing three routes downfield. Off the play action, one receiver runs a deep post breaking away from the play side while the second outside receiver stems vertically then bends toward the sideline on a corner-ish route, giving the quarterback a two level stretch on that side. Underneath, a receiver clears out to the opposite sideline on a shallow drag, giving a quick outlet if the deep shots are covered. This is a play-action shot play designed to punish teams that bite on run action, with the primary read starting on the deep post, working to the breaking route on that same side, and checking down to the drag as the last resort.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and leverage since a single high safety cheating toward the play side is a green light to attack the deep post immediately off the play fake. Watch the linebackers at the snap, if they bite hard on the fullback run action you get a clean throwing lane over the middle before the defense can recover. Post-snap, track any user controlled defender sitting in a deep third or deep half, a disciplined deep defender who does not bite on the run fake can undercut the post and turn this into a turnover. Zone defenses that keep two deep safeties and rotate a cornerback under the corner route can squeeze the breaking route, so be ready to reset to the drag underneath. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the worst matchup for this play against you defensively, since the double move nature of the outside routes combined with play action leverage should consistently create separation.
Usage Tips
Run this from base personnel situations, especially early down and medium to long yardage, so the run fake actually holds the linebackers and safeties. Before the snap, identify single high versus two high shells since the deep post is your primary shot against single high (Cover 3 or Cover 1) when the free safety bites on the fake. If you see two high safeties sitting deep, be ready to work the breaking route to the boundary and use the drag as your check down instead of forcing the post into a deep half defender. Hot route the drag runner into a deeper crossing route against zone heavy defenses to give yourself another answer if the deep shots are blanketed. Pair this with 26 Duo and HB Power O out of the same formation and personnel so the defense has to respect the run fake, then hit them with PA FB Slide once they start crashing linebackers downhill.
