Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Weak Flood out of I Form Pro (21 personnel) sells play action to the weak side while flooding the strong side with three levels of routes. The X receiver runs a deep go route on the outside, a route from the backfield or slot breaks to the flat, and the TE releases to the intermediate area near the sideline, stacking three defenders vertically to horizontally on one half of the field. On the backside, a single receiver runs a deep dig or crosser back across the formation as a hot read against man coverage or a blitz. The primary read progression starts high to low on the flood side (go route to intermediate route to flat route), working to the backside crosser if the flood side is capped by a two-deep shell.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the strong safety is rotating toward the flood side, this tells you if the defense is in a Cover 3 or Cover 4 shell designed to bracket the deep go route. Watch the flat defender (CB or OLB) at the snap: if he sinks with the play action fake, the flat route will be wide open for an easy completion. Key the backside linebacker or safety on the crosser route, a shallow zone drop or aggressive man carry there signals the backside read is covered and you should stick to the flood. This play is vulnerable to a hard edge blitz from the weak side since the play action fake holds the QB in the pocket longer, so identify overload blitz looks before the snap and consider a hot route or protection slide. Cover 3 with a sky safety rolling down to the flat can squeeze the flood concept, so if you see this rotation post-snap, look immediately to the backside crosser for the answer.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs when defenses expect run out of I Form Pro to maximize the play action hold on linebackers and safeties.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap: if you see two deep safeties shaded to the flood side, work the backside dig or crosser immediately instead of forcing the flood.
Against man coverage, the flood concept isolates the flat route defender and creates natural rub potential, so key on any CB or LB trailing the intermediate route for a pick opportunity.
Pair this play in a sequence with HB Stretch Alert X Lookie or 26 Duo to sell the same backfield action and keep run fits honest before dialing up the play fake.
On third and medium, prioritize the intermediate TE route since it settles into soft zone windows against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells.
