Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Deep Outs runs a play-action fake out of Shotgun Doubles Y-Flex to hold the linebackers before attacking the boundary with two deep out routes from both outside receivers. The backside receiver runs a corner route up the sideline while the slot receiver on that side sits in a shallow in route across the middle, giving the quarterback a full field stretch. This is a zone beater built to exploit cover 3 and cover 4 shells by putting two defenders in conflict on each sideline, with the deep outs as the primary read against soft corners and the in route as the underneath check down versus zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Read the safety alignment before the snap: two deep safeties with corners playing off suggests cover 4 or cover 2, which allows underneath defenders to sink and jump the deep outs. Watch the flat defenders and outside linebackers immediately after the snap, since they are the primary threat to undercut the deep out routes if they read the quarterback's eyes. User the deep half safety on the throwing side to close on the deep out route before the ball arrives, this is the single most disruptive defensive play against this concept. Blitz the middle of the field with a linebacker spy or nano blitz to disrupt the play-action timing, since the quarterback needs a clean pocket to let the deep outs develop. Press man coverage on the outside receivers with a robber underneath takes away both the deep outs and the shallow in route, forcing a hot read or checkdown.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when you need a chunk gain but still want the run fake to hold safeties at the snap.
Check the corners pre-snap: if they are playing off man or sitting in soft zone at eight yards or deeper, the deep outs will sit down right in the void.
Hot route the shallow in route to a deeper crossing route if you diagnose cover 2 or cover 4, since the flat defenders will jump the out routes and take away that window.
Pair this call with HB Draw or Inside Zone earlier in a series so the play-action fake actually influences linebacker depth and second level flow.
Combine with Four Verticals and Curl Flats from the same set to keep the defense guessing between shallow and deep concepts out of an identical formation.
