Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Rollout is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Doubles Offset that pulls the QB toward the boundary while the backfield fakes a run to sell the linebackers and safeties. The blue route shows the fullback or attached blocker sliding out to the flat as a checkdown while the QB rolls, and the outermost receiver (red) runs a corner route breaking hard to the sideline off the top of his stem. On the backside, two receivers (yellow) run a vertical seam and a deep in-cut, giving the QB a two-level read away from the rollout if the corner route is capped. This is primarily a man beater and zone flood concept: the primary read is the corner route on the roll side, with the flat route as the answer against underneath defenders who squeeze the corner, and the backside dig/in route as the deep progression against zone coverage that rolls with the play action.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender first: if he sits and does not bite on the run fake, the corner route window shrinks and you should expect a chase from a slot corner or overhang defender. Key the backside linebackers post snap, since if they stay disciplined and do not flow with the play fake, the deep in route and seam will be taken away. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells, the corner route can be undercut by a hard-flowing cornerback, so be ready to check down to the flat route instead of forcing the throw outside. Man coverage with a deep safety rolled to the rollout side is the toughest matchup, since it caps the corner route and forces you into the flat or a scramble drill. If the defense shows a lurking user-controlled linebacker sitting in the flat pre-snap, expect him to jump the flat route, which opens a window for the corner route or backside dig instead.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or manageable third downs when you have already established the run game so the play fake actually holds linebackers and safeties. Pre-snap, check for single high versus two high shells: single high safeties tend to bite on the run fake harder, opening the corner route and flat combo on the roll side. Hot route the backside receivers into quicker breaking routes if you see man coverage with no help over the top, since the deep in-cut can take a while to develop. Combine this with Double Slants or RPO Peek Waggle earlier in a drive to get defenders keying run action, then hit PA Rollout when they start crashing downhill. Roll the pocket away from pressure by calling this into the boundary if the defense has shown edge blitzes off that side, since the rollout naturally buys extra time against speed rushers.
