Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Zone Read out of Shotgun Doubles sells the zone read run action to the QB before he pulls it back into a three level play-action shot play. Both outside receivers push vertical, with the backside X breaking into a deep comeback style cut at the top of the screen while the playside Z runs a corner route up the sideline, and the two inside receivers cross underneath with the near slot running a shallow drag to the opposite flat and the other working an in-cut over the middle. The read progression starts with the deep corner or comeback based on the safety rotation, then works down to the crossing drag underneath, making this a zone beater designed to hit the seams vacated by run fits and flowing linebackers.
Defensive Reads
Read the linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard on the zone read fake the underneath crossing routes will be wide open behind them. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, that tips man coverage and means the crossing drag is your best man beater option versus a trailing defender. Cover 3 defenses with squatting corners can jump the comeback route, so check the flat defender leverage before throwing outside. User controlled defenders sitting in a lurk zone underneath will jump the drag and in-cut combo, so look off the initial read if you see a defender flash to that area. Disciplined defenses that stay home on contain and keep two safeties deep will take away both the run threat and the deep shots, forcing you to live underneath.
Usage Tips
Run this from second and short or third and short to sell the zone read fake and freeze linebackers who are keying run fits.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties cheating up to respect the run this is your green light to take the top off with the corner or comeback route.
Use the QB run threat as a built in answer versus aggressive blitzes since the defense has to respect the give read on the zone action.
Hot route the backside comeback into a deep post if you are facing single high man coverage to attack the vacated middle of the field.
Pair this with Inside Zone Read Opt and RPO Zone Peek earlier in a series so the defense commits to stopping the run before you dial up the play-action shot.
