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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
PA Tulsa Pop is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Split Slot Open that hides two deep vertical shots behind a play fake. Both outside receivers push straight up the field into deep crossers, one breaking left and one breaking right over the top of the defense, while the two inside receivers work an out and a shallow flat/drag combo underneath to hold linebackers and flow defenders. The primary read progression starts with the deep crossing route away from the play fake flow, then works down to the underside out route, and checks to the shallow drag as the safety valve if both verticals are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment. A single high safety cheating toward the strength tips off which deep crosser will be open on the backside. Watch linebacker depth at the snap. If they crash hard on the play fake, both deep crossers will have a clean runway with no underneath traffic. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender dropping into a lurk or spy position in the middle of the field, since the shallow drag and out route both cross through that window. This play struggles against sound two high zone shells like Cover 4 or Cover 6 where corners sink and safeties stay deep, taking away both vertical crossers. Man coverage with no play action discipline from linebackers gets exposed hard, since the crossers create natural rub and separation against man defenders trailing from depth.
Usage Tips
Use this out of obvious run personnel looks or after establishing HB runs like HB Off Tackle or Inside Zone Split so the play fake actually freezes linebackers and safeties.
Best called on second or third and manageable when defenses are keying run based on personnel or previous tendencies, since the play fake needs LBs to bite for the deep crossers to hit.
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high shells. Against single high, target the deep crosser that breaks away from the rotating safety. Against two high, expect the underneath out and shallow drag to be your quicker answers.
Hot route the backside underneath receiver into a deeper route if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, turning this into a true four verts look.
Pair this with Power Read or HB Gut earlier in a series to sell the ground game, then dial up PA Tulsa Pop to punish linebackers who are sitting on run fits.
