Playbooks
Breakdown
PA Jet Sweep out of Shotgun Empty Ace fakes the jet motion sweep to the flank before pulling it back into a play-action passing concept. Off the fake, the play sends a deep corner route up the sideline, a deep dig that breaks in from the opposite hash, a wheel route out of the backfield area heading up the numbers, and an underneath flat route working from the middle of the field toward the sideline. The blocking scheme is a straight drop-back pass protection with the offensive line holding up front while the play-action fake occupies the second level, making this a man beater designed to punish linebackers and safeties who bite on the run fake, with the primary read progression starting on the deep corner route and working down to the dig, then checking the wheel and flat as the fake settles.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone coverage by checking cornerback alignment on the outside receivers and safety depth in the middle of the field. Single high safety alignments with linebackers flowing hard toward the jet motion side are the biggest tell that the play fake will hold and the deep corner or dig route will be open. Watch for a user controlled defender staying home in the middle of the field or sitting in a lurk position, since that defender can jump the dig route or wheel route if the quarterback holds the ball too long. Cover 3 and Cover 1 shells with aggressive linebacker run fits are the most vulnerable to this concept because the fake pulls the second level out of position. Cover 4 or Cover 2 shells with disciplined linebackers who stay in their run-pass conflict zone can sit on the underneath flat and dig, taking away the easy completions and forcing a risky deep throw.
Usage Tips
Sell the jet sweep fake by holding the ball fake animation out fully before resetting to throw, since defenders who do not respect the run action will blow up the timing of every route. Use this play on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage when defenses are more likely to load the box or bite on run action out of Empty Ace personnel. Check pre-snap for single high safety looks or aggressive linebacker cheating toward the jet motion, both of which open up the deep corner and dig routes over the middle. Pair this play with straight Jet Touch Pass or Jet QB Counter earlier in a series so defenses start keying run and vacate coverage, then hit them with PA Jet Sweep as the counter-punch. If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, hot route the flat route into a quick out or speed out to give yourself a faster underneath answer against zone drops.
