Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Boot Lt is a play-action rollout out of Pistol Trips 11 personnel that pulls the QB left off the fake to attack the flat and intermediate crossers. The diagram shows the boss route (red) breaking from the backfield up to the flat area outside the tackle box, while the trips side runs a deep dig or crosser that clears out over the middle with two receivers stacking verticals and outs on the backside. The primary read starts with the flat route in the boot direction, then works back to the deep crosser if the flat is taken away, making this a strong play-action man beater against aggressive linebackers who bite on the run fake.
Defensive Reads
Watch the linebacker depth pre-snap. If they are stacked tight to the line expecting run, this play will gash them once they bite on the fake and vacate the flat. Man coverage on the backside crosser is a major mismatch since the route design creates natural separation as it works across the field away from the boot. Zone defenses that keep a linebacker spying the flat or a corner sitting on the boot side can take away the first read, forcing the QB to hold the ball longer. Look for a user controlled defender lurking underneath the crosser route, since online opponents often spy this exact concept to jump the second read. Overload blitzes from the backside can beat this play since the rollout protection is light away from the boot direction, so check blitz alerts before the snap.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) when you have already established the run game with HB Dive or HB Zone Wk to sell the play-action fake.
Check the boot side flat defender before the snap. If a linebacker or slot corner is sitting low and shallow, the crosser behind him will be open on your second read.
Use the QB roll to extend the play if the initial reads are covered, since the rollout naturally buys extra time against edge pressure.
Pair this with PA Ctr Waggle and PA Dagger in the same drive to keep defenders guessing on which direction the QB boots and which routes clear out.
Hot route the backside receiver on a quick out if you are facing a Cover 2 shell to give yourself a shorter, safer completion outside the numbers.
