Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Flood out of I Form Slot with 21 personnel shows a three level flood concept to the strong side after the play fake to the HB. The deep route stems vertically up the seam before breaking outside, the intermediate route runs a deep out that crosses the field to the far boundary, and the underneath route sits down in the flat area just past the sticks. The offensive line and FB sell run action up front while the flood routes stack the same side of the field, making this a classic Cover 3 beater designed to overload one cornerback and one flat defender with three distinct depths.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high safety alignment before the snap since this concept is built to punish Cover 3 by overloading the flat and deep third with three receivers. Watch the flat defender first, if he widens with the underneath route the deep out route behind him should come open in the void. Key the strong side linebacker depth, if he sits shallow to jump the flat route he opens the intermediate out for a bigger gain. User the deep third defender if playing zone coverage and rob the deep out route, forcing the quarterback to check down into a crowded underneath area. Against Cover 2 or two high shells, jump the underneath flat route with a linebacker spy since the deep safeties can help over the top on the vertical breaking route.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs in run heavy personnel to keep the play action believable and freeze linebackers who bite on the fake.
Pre-snap, check for single high safety or Cover 3 shells since the flood concept isolates the flat defender against three route levels on one side.
If the corner sinks with the deep out, work the underneath flat route as your first read against zone, but come off it fast if you see a hard flat defender sitting on it.
Against man coverage, hot route the underneath receiver into a quick out or speed out to create separation instead of running him into traffic near the sticks.
Pair this with HB Stretch or HB Power O earlier in a series so the play fake actually holds linebackers, then hit PA Flood once the defense starts keying run.
