Playbooks

PA Counter Y Screen

Pistol·Y Off Trips·11

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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetY Off Trips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

Spread Classic

Breakdown

PA Counter Y Screen sells the counter run action out of Pistol before releasing the Y (tight end) on a delayed screen behind a wall of blockers. The offensive line and fullback (or extra blocker) sets up a screen wall while the play fakes counter to draw the linebackers upfield and out of position. This is a screen play designed to punish aggressive run blitzes and overzealous linebacker flow, with the primary read being the Y tight end as the sole target once the counter fake clears the mesh point.

Defensive Reads

Watch for linebacker eye discipline pre-snap, if backers are keying the counter action and staying square instead of crashing downhill, they can sink into the screen lane and jump the throw. Identify blitz packages with edge pressure or a delayed A-gap blitz, since these defenders often overrun the counter fake and take themselves out of the screen picture entirely. Look for a spy or a designated hole player in the middle of the field, this is the biggest threat to sniff out the screen and force an incompletion or negative play. Post-snap, track user-controlled defenders near the line of scrimmage, if the user immediately drops off the fake and sits at the screen depth, the read should move away from the Y quickly. Zone coverages with linebackers dropping into intermediate zones rather than attacking the counter action can also cut off passing lanes to the tight end before he gets outside.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or in obvious run situations when the defense shows a heavy box or a linebacker-heavy blitz look, since the counter fake only works if defenders bite on the run action.

Check pre-snap for stacked fronts or blitz indicators like linebackers creeping to the line, these are the shells that get burned hardest by the screen.

Hold the play fake for a full beat after the snap before checking down to the Y, letting the counter action fully develop pulls extra defenders out of the screen lane.

Pair this with Counter Y and Counter GT Alert Smoke earlier in a series so the defense keys run on the counter action, making the screen release even more deceptive on a repeat call.

Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers home to read run fakes, since spy-conscious backers will sit on the screen and blow it up.