Playbooks

PA Scissors

Pistol·Y Off Trips·11

Play Action Scissors Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 4 Beater

Play diagram for PA Scissors from Pistol Y Off Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetY Off Trips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 3 playbooks

Chargers OffenseOffense Spread Classic NFL Live Chargers OffenseOffense

Breakdown

PA Scissors is a play-action pass out of the Pistol Y Off Trips set that gets its name from the scissors concept on the backside, where the Y (TE) and Z crisscross their routes near the top of the formation. Off the run fake, the outside trips receiver breaks into a corner route while the TE cuts underneath into a deep crossing route, creating natural traffic for man defenders and a two-level stretch on zone coverage. The X receiver runs an isolated dig from the backside while the inside slot receiver stays in as a checkdown flat option, giving the quarterback a clear high-low progression: read the corner route first against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells, then work down to the crossing TE if the corner is capped, with the flat route as the last resort against a hard blitz.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify two deep safeties sitting at depth, which confirms Cover 2 or Cover 4 and tells you the corner route has a clean throwing lane outside the cornerback's zone drop. Post-snap, watch the flat defender or curl-flat player in Cover 2. If he sinks with the corner route, the TE crossing underneath becomes wide open in the vacated shallow zone. Against man coverage, key the linebacker assigned to the TE. The scissors crossing action forces a natural rub with the corner route, so look for separation the instant the routes cross near the numbers. Beware a user-controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle zone, since he can jump the TE's crossing route if the quarterback stares it down too long. If the defense shows blitz with the safety cheating down pre-snap, get the ball out fast to the flat or hot route the backside route into a quick option, since the play action fake will not hold up long enough for the corner route to develop versus a hot rush.

Usage Tips

Use the play action fake early in a series when the defense is still respecting the run, since the mesh point sell is critical to freezing linebackers and opening the crossing route underneath.

Check the safety alignment pre-snap. Two high safeties with soft corners signal Cover 2 or Cover 4, which is exactly what this play is built to attack with the corner route over the top of the flat defender.

If you see a single high safety rotating down, hot route the flat receiver into a quick out or slide the TE crossing route into a shallow drag to beat man coverage leverage instead of forcing the corner throw.

Pair this play with HB Dive or HB Wide Zone Wk earlier in the drive so the run fake actually holds the linebackers, then call PA Scissors to hit the play action window when the defense starts crashing downhill.

On third and medium, prioritize the TE crossing route since it settles in the void between underneath zone defenders and gives a reliable completion versus both man and zone without needing a deep window to open.