Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA FB Screen out of I Form Pro is a play-action screen designed to punish aggressive pass rush and linebacker flow. Off the play-action fake, the offensive line sells pass pro and releases to escort the FB out to the flat while the X receiver runs a deep vertical clearout on the far side and the Z (or slot) runs an over route crossing the field to occupy underneath defenders. The primary read is the FB screen developing in the flat once the fake draws the front seven upfield, with the deep clearout and crossing route acting as a secondary window if the screen is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers crashing hard downhill on the play-action fake, since that flow opens the FB release lane immediately. Identify if the defense is in man coverage versus zone by checking the corner on the clearout route: man corners will run vertically with him, zone corners will sink and look to help underneath. Key any user-controlled defender lurking near the line of scrimmage, especially a spy linebacker or nickel defender who can jump the FB screen if he reads it early. Look for zone blitz packages that keep a lineman or extra defender in coverage underneath, since these can undercut the screen before it develops. If the defense shows a two high safety shell with disciplined linebackers who do not bite on the fake, the screen will be covered and you should check to the crossing route instead.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or after establishing a run game so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers and slot defenders for a beat.
Check the flat and curl-to-flat defenders pre-snap. If a linebacker or slot corner is sitting flat footed near the line, the FB screen has a clean lane.
Use the deep clearout route as a designed decoy against man coverage teams that like to jump screens, since it pulls the corner away from the FB release.
Pair this call with HB Blast or FB Dive Fake HB earlier in a drive so defenders start keying run action off similar formations, then hit them with this screen to counter their aggression.
Avoid calling this against heavy zone blitz packages where interior linemen are dropping into passing lanes, since it can bait the throw into a sitting defender.
