Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Post out of Bunch Spread Nasty uses play-action to hold the linebackers before releasing a deep post from the outside receiver, a corner route from the bunch, an out breaking to the sideline, and a shallow drag underneath crossing back to the opposite flat. The bunch alignment creates natural traffic to rub off man defenders and open the post behind the safety. This is primarily a man beater that also stresses single-high zone shells by attacking the deep middle with the post while the drag and out give quick answers underneath. Primary read progression starts with the post shot down the middle, works to the corner route if the safety jumps the post, and checks down to the drag or flat out if both are covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety shell, if he stays centered instead of shading toward the post, you have a clean throwing window down the middle. Identify press man corners on the outside receiver running the post, since a jam at the line disrupts the timing on this route and forces a check to the underneath drag. Key the linebackers at the snap, if they bite hard on the play-action fake, the drag route sitting in the vacated zone becomes an easy completion. Look for a lurking defender sitting on the drag route in Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, this indicates you should climb the progression straight to the post or corner. Recognize nano blitz packages up front, since a fast interior rush can collapse the pocket before the post route fully develops downfield.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs in run heavy personnel counts to sell the play-action fake and freeze linebackers before they can drop into their zone assignments.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the bunch, hot route the corner route deeper to clear extra grass for the post.
Against man coverage, trust the bunch alignment to create natural picks that spring the post open at the intermediate to deep level.
Pair this play with Orbit Bunch Salem or Mtn Slot Cross in your play-calling sequence so defenses cannot sit on the post read after seeing the same formation multiple times.
If the defense shows heavy blitz pre-snap, get the ball out quickly to the drag route since the deep post takes too long to develop against pressure.
