Playbooks

PA Read

Shotgun·Spread Flex·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

Spread Classic

Breakdown

PA Read out of Shotgun Spread Flex 11 personnel sells inside zone action to hold the linebackers before the quarterback works a deep to intermediate progression off the play fake. This is a play-action shot play designed to attack teams that bite on run fits, pairing a vertical shot on one side with an intermediate breaker underneath to give the quarterback a true high low read. The primary progression starts with the deep route to see if the safety commits to the run fake, then works down to the intermediate option and finally the checkdown if the pocket collapses.

Defensive Reads

Watch the play side safety at the snap, if he steps up on the run fake the vertical shot route is open behind him. Identify single high versus two high pre-snap, two high shells with both safeties deep take away the explosive shot and force you into the intermediate or checkdown read. Key the linebacker depth before the snap, linebackers sitting shallow near the line of scrimmage are more likely to bite on the fake and vacate their zone drops. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow crossing lane, this is the most common way human opponents blow up the intermediate option on this concept. Beware disguised blitzes where the defense shows a run blitz look then bails into coverage, since the play fake can hang the quarterback out to dry against a fast interior pass rush.

Usage Tips

Run this on early downs, ideally first or second and short to medium, so the play fake actually threatens the defense and freezes the second level defenders.

Check the safety alignment before the snap, single high shells with a safety sitting in the box are the best trigger to call PA Read since that safety has to respect the run.

Use your play action rollout footwork patiently, let the deep route develop for a full second before checking down, rushing the throw kills the explosive play potential.

Hot route the underneath option into a deeper comeback or out route against teams that sit in soft zone shells to prevent a linebacker from jumping the shallow read.

Sequence this with Inside Zone and HB Draw earlier in the drive so the defense starts keying run fits, then hit them with PA Read once the linebackers show aggressive downhill triggers.

Other Plays in Spread Flex