Playbooks

Breakdown

PA Deep Out is a play-action pass out of Pistol Wing Slot 12 personnel that sells the run fake before working a three level stretch on one side of the field. The outside receiver runs a deep out that breaks hard toward the sideline, the inside receiver clears vertically up the seam to hold the safety, and the wing TE releases underneath on a shallow drive route toward the flat. This is primarily a zone beater, since the deep out settles into the void behind underneath defenders and in front of deep zone drops, and the read progression starts with the vertical seam to hold the safety over the top before working down to the deep out as the primary target, with the underneath drag as the checkdown against soft zone or blitz.

Defensive Reads

Look for two deep safeties pre-snap since Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells leave a natural window for the deep out to settle in front of the corner Watch the flow of the linebackers after the run fake, if they bite hard on the play-action the middle of the field opens up for the seam route Identify Cover 3 with a single deep safety, this shell often invites the deep out to break open right in the boundary if the corner sinks too deep Beware of Cover 4 quarters coverage rolled to the play side, since the corner and safety can squeeze the deep out and take away the throwing lane Key any user controlled defender flying up on the run fake, this is the signal to trust the play-action and let the deep out or seam develop downfield

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or in 2nd and medium situations where defenses expect run action out of the Pistol Wing Slot look

Check the play-action fake before the snap to confirm linebackers are sitting close to the box, since aggressive run fits open up the deep out window

If the corner is playing off zone or a Cover 3 shell, throw the deep out on time as soon as the receiver breaks toward the sideline

Hot route the underneath drag into a flat route if you see man coverage to create instant separation against a trailing defender

Pair this with HB Stretch and Mtn HB Zone Wk earlier in a series so the play-action fake mirrors the same backfield action and keeps the defense honest