Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Cheat Switch Dig runs out of Shotgun Bunch Offset with a play-action fake to hold the linebackers before the quarterback rolls through his drop. The bunch releases into a deep vertical clear-out and a corner route up the seam while the middle receiver breaks into a dig sitting behind the shallow crossers, and the backside receiver runs a shallow drag underneath. This is a play-action man beater built to attack linebackers who bite on the run fake, with the dig as the primary read against zone and the shallow drag as the answer versus man coverage or if the underneath window closes.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single-high versus two-high shells since the deep clear-out route is designed to occupy a deep safety and open the dig behind the second level. Key the linebacker depth off the play-action fake: if they stay shallow and sink into zone drops, the dig window narrows and the shallow drag becomes the better answer. Watch for a user-controlled defender sitting in the lurk area over the middle, since that is the exact throwing lane the dig route travels through. Cover 3 with aggressive linebacker run fits gets exploited hardest here because the fake pulls bodies out of the intermediate zone. Man coverage with underneath robbers or a spy can shut this down quickly, so be ready to check to the shallow drag or bail to the flat option if you see man-match principles pre-snap.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or second and medium when defenses are still respecting run tendencies out of Bunch Offset personnel.
Check the play-action window first: if linebackers step up hard on the fake, the dig will sit wide open behind them.
Against man coverage, look to the shallow drag or the deep vertical clear-out receiver if you get a favorable matchup on the switch release.
Pair this with HB Draw and Cheat Outside Zone from the same set so the run fake actually sells and defenders respect the mesh point.
Sequence this with Speed Dig or PA Dig later in the drive once the defense starts jumping the underneath crossers, since the deep clear-out route punishes overaggressive zone drops.
