Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Boot Slide is a play-action rollout out of Power I Strong with 31 personnel that sells the run fake before the QB boots out to the weak side. The two backside receivers run a slide combo, one dragging flat underneath while the other, aligned outside, breaks vertically upfield then comes back with a comeback style route away from the boot direction, while the inline TY runs a deep out that clears to the opposite sideline. This is a play-action man beater built to exploit linebackers and safeties who bite on the run fake, with the primary read starting on the underneath drag/flat man before working up to the deeper comeback route if the shallow throw is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is stacking the box expecting run, which is exactly when this play-action boot hits hardest against aggressive linebacker fits. Watch cornerback alignment on the backside receivers: tight man coverage with no safety help over the top opens up the comeback route once the corner commits to the flat. Post-snap, key the flat route defender first since he is the shallowest threat, then progress your eyes to the receiver running the comeback if the underneath defender sits on the drag. Zone shells with a hard flat/curl defender sinking early can take away both routes on the boot side, forcing the QB to hold the ball longer and risk contain pressure from the edge. Watch for a user-controlled defender spying the QB or crashing the edge on the boot, since a disciplined contain rush can blow up the rollout before the routes develop.
Usage Tips
Run this after establishing HB Blast, HB Slam, or Power O early in a drive so linebackers start creeping up on run fakes before you dial up the boot.
Check safety depth pre-snap: if both safeties are sitting deep in a two high shell, the play-action fake has less impact, so consider hot routing the flat man into a quicker option instead of holding for the deep comeback.
On the snap, ride the rollout and read the flat route first since it is the fastest access route against man coverage, then climb to the comeback route if a corner jumps the flat.
Best used on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and medium) when defenses are more likely to respect the run and bring linebackers downhill.
Pair this with PA FB Flat and PA HB Wheel in the same drive to keep defenders guessing between different boot and play-action concepts off the same Power I run action.
