Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Escort PA Slide is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Bunch TE that sells a run fake before working a three level stretch to one side. Off the play fake, the bunch releases with an out and up on the boundary receiver, a corner route from the inside bunch man, and a slide route from the third receiver that bends across the formation underneath the corner. The offensive line executes a slide protection to the play action side while the diagram shows no route developing away from the bunch, meaning this is a designed one read progression play built to isolate the slide and corner combo against man or zone leverage. Primary read starts with the slide route working underneath, then climbs to the corner route if a linebacker or nickel widens with the flat threat.
Defensive Reads
Read linebacker depth immediately after the snap. If they crash down on the run fake, the slide route will be wide open in the vacated underneath zone. Identify the flat defender or nickel corner responsibility on the bunch side. If that defender widens too fast to the slide, the corner route behind him becomes the answer. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow zone, since the slide route path crosses directly through that spot and is the most common area for a jumped throw. Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with aggressive linebacker run fits get exposed by this concept because the underneath flow leaves the slide uncovered. Tight man coverage with safety help over the top can shut this down if the defender assigned to the slide route stays disciplined and does not bite on the play fake.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or second and short when defenses are keying run action from the Bunch TE set and linebackers are sitting on the line of scrimmage.
Check safety depth before the snap. Single high safeties open up the corner route working behind the slide, while two high shells favor the underneath slide as your primary answer.
Hot route the backside if the defense shows an overload blitz look, since the protection is sliding toward the play action side and can be vulnerable to edge pressure from the opposite side.
Pair this play with Escort HB Split Zone or Escort Power Read Toss earlier in a series so the run fake carries more weight and linebackers bite harder on the play action mesh point.
Against aggressive man coverage defenders who jump underneath routes, prioritize the corner route over the slide since it attacks the space vacated by an overplayed flat defender.
