Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Deep Curls out of Shotgun Deuce Close (12 personnel) uses a play-action fake to hold the linebackers before releasing three vertical stems into curl breaks. The diagram shows two outside receivers pushing straight up the numbers into deep curls around 15 to 18 yards while a third receiver runs a shorter angle route breaking underneath toward the flat, and the inline blocker checks down into a flat/drag route to the opposite side. This is a play-action zone beater designed to sit routes down in soft spots against off coverage, with the primary read progression going to the deep curl on the boundary first, then working to the field-side curl, then checking down to the flat/drag conversion route underneath if both curls are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth: if both safeties are sitting at 10 to 12 yards it signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, which is exactly the shell this play is designed to attack in the seams and curl windows. Post-snap, key the flow of the linebackers on the play-action fake; if they bite hard downhill on the run action, the underlying curl and flat/drag routes will be wide open in the vacated zones. Watch for a user-controlled safety sitting deep and reading the quarterback's eyes, since a lurking safety over the top can jump the outside curl route if the quarterback stares it down too long. Man coverage with a single-high safety (Cover 1 or Cover 3 man) is the toughest shell for this concept, since defenders can trail the curls step for step and the play-action fake does less to affect underneath man defenders. Look for blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge; if the play-action fake does not hold the edge rushers, the quarterback may need to get the ball out on the quick flat/drag conversion before the pocket collapses.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) when you have already established the run game, since the play-action fake needs linebackers biting downhill to open the curl windows.
Pre-snap, identify two-high shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4 with soft cushions on the outside corners, since the curls will sit down right in front of those defenders in the honey hole.
If you see man coverage or press alignment on the outside receivers, hot route one of the curls into a corner or speed out to avoid a phased-off completion window.
Pair this with Mtn PA Slide or PA Slide from the same set to keep the play-action fake looking identical presnap, forcing linebackers to guess run or pass based on formation tendencies alone.
Against aggressive defenses that jump the curls, sequence in Mtn Y Corner or Corner Go's Flat later in the drive to hit the same route tree over the top once the defense starts sitting on the curl breaks.
