Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Flood Out is a play-action flood concept out of Pistol U Off Stack that stacks three defenders vertically on one side of the field. The play fakes the handoff before releasing a deep corner-breaking route, a deep out that sits under it, and a shallow out from the backfield or slot, creating a true three-level flood to one sideline. This is a classic Cover 3 beater since it overloads the flat and deep third defenders on that side with conflicting horizontal and vertical stress, and the primary read progression works high to low: start at the deepest yellow route, then work down to the red intermediate out, and finally check the underneath blue route if the cornerback sinks or the flat defender widens too far.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the safety alignment: a single high safety with corners playing off man or zone leverage tells you this is likely Cover 3, which is exactly what this flood concept is built to attack. Post-snap, key the flat defender's reaction to the play fake; if he bites hard on the run action, the shallow blue out will be wide open immediately. Watch the deep third cornerback's positioning as the quarterback hits his second read, since a corner who sinks too deep on the yellow route leaves the red intermediate out uncontested. User the closest underneath defender to the flood side pre-snap to threaten a jump on the shallow out route, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer and climb the ladder to the deep routes. Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can shut this down by squeezing the deep out and forcing the quarterback to check down early, so bracket the top of the flood with the deep safety rotated to that side.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or second and medium so the play fake actually holds linebackers and the safety for a beat before the flood routes stress the sideline.
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single high or two high safeties, since a single high shell confirms Cover 3 or Cover 1 and this flood concept is designed to punish that exact look.
If you see man coverage indicators like a corner playing tight outside shade, hot route the deep yellow route into a quick out or slant to turn this into a rhythm throw instead of forcing the deep shot.
Pair this play with Dash Flood and PA Boot in the same set so the defense has to respect play action to the same side every snap, then counter with HB Slip Screen or Inside Zone Split when they start jumping the flood routes.
Use play-action shot plays like PA Corner Dig on the very next snap after hitting the deep out here, since defenders will start sitting on the flood and open up the middle of the field for the dig.
