Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Deep Out from Pistol Wing Slot shows a play-action shot off run action with three routes to the play side. The outside receiver breaks off a deep out to the sideline, the slot runs a vertical seam straight up the middle, and the inline TE releases underneath on a shallow drag across the field. The play-action fake holds the linebackers, giving the QB time to read the deep out and vertical seam combo, making this a man beater against off coverage and a zone beater against soft cover 3 shells where the out settles into the void.
Defensive Reads
Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap since that shell can cap both the vertical seam and the deep out with a corner sitting on the sideline route. Key the flow of linebackers after the snap, if they bite hard on the run fake the shallow drag and seam will have wide open lanes underneath and over the middle. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets beaten badly by the deep out, so look for a cornerback playing outside leverage and turning his back to the quarterback. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender can jump the shallow drag, so be ready to reset to the deep out or seam if that underneath defender sits shallow. Watch for a blitz off the edge since the play action hold can leave the quarterback exposed if the offensive line does not account for an extra rusher.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for single high safeties since the vertical seam will pull them and open the deep out to the boundary.
Use the play-action fake to freeze linebackers on early down and distance, ideally 1st or 2nd and short to medium yardage where run fits are expected.
Hot route the shallow drag into a deeper crosser if you see man coverage across the formation to create more separation.
Pair this play with HB Slam or HB Dive earlier in a series so the run fake actually sells and defenders bite on the play action.
Against zone heavy opponents, sequence this after Four Verticals or Dagger so the defense stays honest on deep coverage before you attack the sideline with the out route.
