Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Boot Lt is a play-action rollout off the Pistol Strong 21 personnel look, faking the handoff before the QB boots left behind the line. The route concept shows a deep corner/go route from the backside X breaking hard upfield outside the numbers, a deep crossing dig from the inline TE working from right to left across the field, and a flat route from the fullback or FB out of the backfield sitting underneath as the checkdown. This is a play-action man beater against aggressive linebacker and safety run fits, with the primary read progressing from the deep crosser to the backside corner route and finally down to the flat as the QB rolls with the pocket.
Defensive Reads
This play attacks man coverage and aggressive run fits where linebackers and safeties bite on the play-action fake, especially Cover 1 and Cover 3 with man principles underneath. Watch for a hard-crashing box pre-snap, if the defense stacks the strong side to stop the run the boot side flat and corner routes will be wide open. Post-snap, identify any user-controlled defender spying the QB rollout lane, a disciplined spy or contain defender can blow up the boot and force an early checkdown. Zone shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4 that keep both safeties deep can squeeze the deep crosser and corner route, so be ready to check down to the flat quickly. Look for linebackers dropping into the passing lane on the crosser's path, a linebacker who reads play-action quickly can undercut that route and jump the throw.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like first or second and short to sell the run fake against defenses that key the box hard on Pistol Strong formations.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties rotate down into the box on the snap that confirms man coverage underneath and opens up the deep crosser.
Hot route the flat route to a shallow drag if you are facing a defense that flows hard to the boot side, giving the QB an easy answer if the crosser and corner are covered.
Pair this play with HB Power or HB Off Tackle from the same set to sell the exact same backfield action and freeze linebackers before hitting them with the boot.
Roll the pocket with the QB using the right stick to extend the play and buy time for the deep crosser to clear the middle of the field, especially versus zone drops that widen late.
Best called on play-action passing downs (first and ten, second and medium) when the defense has shown a tendency to crash down on HB runs from this personnel grouping.
