Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Boot is a play-action rollout out of Pistol 11 personnel that pulls the QB toward the boundary while the offensive line sells run action up front. On the backside, one receiver clears vertically as a takeoff while the other works an out breaking route toward the sideline. The near side features a shallow crosser sitting underneath a corner route breaking outside, giving the QB a high low read as he rolls out with the flat route from the backfield working underneath everything as the checkdown. This is a play-action man beater at its core, since the rollout and staggered route depths create natural separation windows against man coverage while still giving the QB a simple flat to intermediate progression to work through.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the corner near the boot side is playing man or sitting in a zone shell, since this route combo is designed to exploit man leverage with the corner route. Watch linebacker depth before the snap, if they are stacked close to the line expecting run, the play action fake will hold them longer and open up the crosser. Post-snap, key the flat defender first, if he widens with the flat route the shallow crosser will have a soft spot to settle into. Zone defenses that keep two deep safeties over the top can take away both the corner and the deep backside route, forcing the QB down to the checkdown. User controlled defenders sitting in a lurk technique underneath can jump the crossing route, so track any manual defender who slides toward the middle of the field after the snap. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender squeezing the boot side is the toughest shell to beat, since it clogs both the flat and shallow crosser simultaneously.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs or manageable third downs when you have already established the run game, since the play action window depends on linebackers respecting the fake. Check the flat defender and the corner over the near side receiver before the snap. If the corner is playing outside leverage in man, the corner route has room to break open behind him. Use the rollout to buy time against edge pressure, since the boot naturally moves the QB away from the backside rush. Pair this with Inside Zone Wk or HB Dive earlier in a series to sell the run fake harder and get linebackers flowing downhill before you dial up PA Boot. If the defense starts jumping the flat route, hot route the flat runner into a shorter option route or look immediately to the crosser underneath the corner. Against teams that key play action with linebacker spy technique, mix in RPO Read Flat Wheel from this same set to keep the defense honest.
