Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Bubble Y Over is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Doubles Offset Wk that sells a run fake before attacking the middle of the field with a deep crossing route. The backside receiver runs a bubble screen underneath while the outside receiver on that side clears vertically to hold the corner, and on the strongside the TE breaks off a deep in cut while the outside receiver on that side runs a vertical clear route to open up the void behind the linebackers. The blocking scheme keeps the line home to protect against the edge rush after the fake, and the primary read progression starts with the Y over route working across the middle, then works to the bubble screen if the linebackers bite hard on the play-action fake.
Defensive Reads
Check the strong safety depth and alignment before the snap, since a safety cheating down into the box signals man coverage or an aggressive run blitz that this play can exploit. Watch the Mike linebacker after the snap, if he steps up hard on the play-action fake the Y over route will have a clean throwing lane behind him. Identify if the defense is running a Tampa 2 or three deep zone shell, since a deep middle safety sitting in the hole can undercut the over route and turn it into a pick six. Key the flow of the linebackers to the bubble screen side, if they widen out to cover it early the over route crossing back underneath them becomes the highest percentage throw. Beware disguised Cover 3 buzz looks where a corner or safety rotates late into the shallow crossing lane, since that defender can jump the over route if the quarterback stares it down too long.
Usage Tips
Look for linebackers stepping up on the run fake pre-snap tendency before calling this, since PA Bubble Y Over punishes aggressive run fits and Sam or Mike bite. Use this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short when defenses respect the run action and play tighter to the line of scrimmage. If the defense shows two deep safeties presnap, prioritize the Y over route since it settles in the soft spot between the underneath zone and the deep safeties. Hot route the backside vertical clear into a hitch or comeback against press man coverage if you need a faster outlet than the developing crosser. Pair this play with RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Read Bubble earlier in a series so the defense starts respecting the bubble action, which sets up the deep over route to hit wide open once linebackers jump the screen fake.
