Playbooks
Breakdown
PA Stretch Shot fakes the outside zone stretch action to the boundary before working three vertical-based routes off the play fake. The backside X runs a deep out/comeback breaking away from the flow, the inline TE releases up the seam before bending back across the middle on a deep dig, and the outside TE or wing runs a straight vertical seam up the numbers. This is a shot play designed to punish aggressive run defense with a man beater over the middle and a zone beater deep, with the deep dig as the clear primary read once the play fake sells.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers stepping up hard on the run fake, since that flow opens passing lanes for the deep dig crossing the middle. Single high safety looks are vulnerable to the vertical seam route running straight up the hash, so identify Cover 3 or Cover 1 shells before the snap. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties can sit on the dig route and take away the primary read, so be ready to check to the comeback route on the backside. Watch for a user-controlled linebacker sitting in the shallow crosser lane, as this lurk defender can jump the dig route if the QB stares it down too long. Blitz-heavy fronts that send extra rushers off the edge can beat the play fake before it develops, so a quick check to the comeback route serves as your answer against pressure looks.
Usage Tips
Sell the stretch run fake with the RB before checking your primary read, since linebacker and safety flow toward the fake is what opens the deep dig. Use this in first and second down run-heavy personnel counts like second and short or third and short so defenders bite on the outside zone action. Check the safety alignment pre-snap: if you see two high safeties sitting deep, look to hit the deep dig sitting down in the void between zones rather than forcing the vertical seam. Pair this with HB Zone and HB Stretch earlier in a series so the defense keys run action and commits to the box, making the play fake more believable when you call PA Stretch Shot. If the corner presses the outside vertical route, hot route it into a quick slant or use it as a decoy and progress straight to the deep dig for the explosive gain.
