Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Deep In runs off a play-action fake from Pistol, holding the linebackers with the run fake before the QB works the pass concept. The outside receiver on the play side runs a deep in route that crosses the field on a flat angle, cutting across the middle at depth for a big chunk gain, while the slot receiver on that side runs a vertical seam route to clear out the safety and occupy the deep defender. On the backside, the receiver runs a corner route that breaks outside toward the sideline off a vertical stem, and the inside backside receiver runs a checkdown/drag route underneath that crosses shallow in the opposite direction. This is a play-action man and zone beater that isolates the deep in route against linebackers who bite on the run fake, with the vertical seam and corner routes stretching the defense high-low to open the window. Primary read progression starts with the deep in route, then works to the backside corner if the safety jumps the in-cut, with the shallow drag as the checkdown outlet.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard on the run fake and drop shallow, the deep in route will have a wide throwing lane behind them. Key the single high safety pre-snap, if he cheats toward the seam route before the snap, that signals man coverage or Cover 3, both of which the deep in route and corner route combo can exploit. Look for a user-controlled defender flashing into the middle of the field as a lurk threat, since that defender can undercut the deep in route if the quarterback holds the ball too long. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties sitting back, the corner route on the backside is more likely to get squeezed, so prioritize the deep in route as the first read. If the defense shows an aggressive nano blitz or edge pressure pre-snap, the play-action fake will not hold long enough to develop the deep in route, so be ready to check down to the drag route immediately.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs, second and short or after establishing HB Dive or HB Slam to sell the run fake and freeze the linebackers before the deep in route develops.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety shaded toward the seam side, the deep in route should have room to work against man or zone since the seam route occupies him.
Against Cover 3 or Cover 4, hot route the backside drag into a deeper crossing route if the underneath zone defenders are sitting shallow, since the drag can get clogged by linebackers reading run action.
Combine this play with HB Counter or Read Option in your play-calling sequence so the defense commits to stopping the run fake, making the deep in route hit even faster once you go back to PA Deep In.
Avoid calling this on third and long when defenses are more likely to sit in soft zone shells and ignore the run fake entirely, since the play-action element loses value in obvious pass situations.
