Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Strow Flow out of the Pro Near 21 personnel package sells the strong side run fake before attacking downfield off play action. The diagram shows a deep corner route breaking to the sideline from the strong side, a vertical seam climbing up the middle of the field, and two flow routes underneath: a flat route running to the boundary near the line and an angle route breaking outside then upfield toward the far sideline. This is a play-action shot play built to punish teams that bite on the run flow, with the corner and seam stretching the field vertically while the underside flow routes hold linebackers and give a check down option against zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Read the linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake the seam and flat routes will be wide open behind them. Identify single high safety shells pre-snap, since that tells you Cover 3 or Cover 1 is likely and the seam route can split the middle void before the safety gets over. Watch the flat defender or curl to flat player on the strong side, if he sinks with the corner route the underneath flow route becomes your check down against zone coverage. This concept struggles against disciplined Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells where safeties stay deep and do not bite the run fake, since the corner and seam routes both run into extra defenders. Beware a hard edge blitz or nano blitz from the strong side, since the play action fake needs a beat to develop and interior pressure can collapse the pocket before the corner route breaks open downfield.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage so the run fake actually holds linebackers and safeties.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two deep safeties sitting off the hash the corner route can be tight, but if it is single high the seam route up the middle is your quicker answer against Cover 3 rotation.
Hot route the shallow flat runner into a quick out or shoot route if you diagnose man coverage with no underneath help, since it turns into an easy pitch and catch against a blitz.
Pair this call with FB Dive Strong or HB Inside earlier in a series so the defense respects the strong side run action and starts crashing downhill, setting up the play fake for maximum hesitation.
Against aggressive linebacker blitzes, work the seam route as your first read since it splits the vacated underneath zone before the safety can rotate over the top.
