Playbooks

Mtn PA Spot

Shotgun·Normal Y Off Wk·11
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Franchise Offense SlantsrusOffense

Breakdown

Mtn PA Spot is a play-action concept out of Shotgun 11 personnel that uses a run fake to hold the linebackers before working a classic Spot combo to the field. The tight end runs a shallow drag underneath while a receiver settles into the hole at the sticks and another attacks the corner with a flat or out route, creating a natural triangle stretch that punishes both man and zone coverage. The primary read progression starts with the flat defender to determine if the underneath window is open, then works to the spot sitting receiver, and finally to the corner route or drag as the outlet against blitz or man leverage.

Defensive Reads

Identify pre-snap if the defense is showing single high or two high safeties, since Cover 3 and Cover 1 shells leave the flat and spot windows open for the underneath progression. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sits and reads the quarterback's play fake he will jump the flat route so be ready to move to the spot sitting receiver immediately. Key the middle linebacker's depth after the run fake, a linebacker who bites hard on the mesh point opens a huge throwing lane for the drag and spot combo underneath. Beware Cover 4 and pattern match zones where the corner or safety can sink under the corner route, this coverage tends to shut down the deep outlet and forces you to live underneath. Watch for a user linebacker spying the run fake or dropping into a lurk position over the spot route, since a smart user defender jumping the shallow window is the biggest threat to this concept.

Usage Tips

Sell the run fake with a stick and go before eyeing your reads, holding the play fake too long against aggressive defensive ends will get your quarterback blown up so time it against light boxes.

Use this on early downs like first or second and medium to keep defenses honest about run tendencies from this formation, since the play action freezes linebacker flow.

Check the flat defender before the snap, if a corner or safety is sitting outside at five yards or less the flat route is likely taken away so hot route your outlet receiver into a deeper option.

Pair this with Mtn Inside Zone and Fk Leak Outside Zone earlier in a drive so the play fake actually threatens the defense, then dial up Mtn PA Spot once you see linebackers stepping up on run action.

Against man coverage, use the spot route sitting receiver as your first hot key since it settles into soft spots that man defenders struggle to cover with speed, and against zone shells the corner route stretches the deep quarter or half defender out of his drop.

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