Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Slot Slide is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel that sells a run fake before releasing three vertical stems. The backside outside receiver runs a corner route off the play-action boot look, the inside slot works a deep post that crosses the field, and the frontside receiver runs a slide/slant to the flat as the built-in checkdown against a hard blitz. The primary read progression starts with the post since it attacks the deepest void in the coverage, moves to the corner route on the boot side for a one-on-one against a cornerback, and finishes with the slide route in the flat if both verticals are covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap, this tells you the middle is vulnerable and the post route will likely win Identify if cornerbacks are playing tight man coverage, since the play-action fake combined with the corner route breaking outside creates natural separation against man defenders Key on linebacker depth after the snap, if they bite hard on the run fake the underneath slide route to the flat opens up immediately This play struggles against two high safety shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4 since the post route runs into a defender sitting in the deep middle Watch for user-controlled defenders dropping into the passing lanes on the corner route, a smart user will sit on that route to bait the post throw instead
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first or second and short to keep the defense honest against your run game before hitting the play-action shot
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties bail to the slide route quickly since the post will be capped
Use the boot action to freeze linebackers and edge defenders, this opens up the corner route against man coverage cornerbacks who bite on the run fake
Pair this with Inside Zone or HB Draw earlier in a series so the defense respects the run action and the play-action window stays open
If the defense shows single high safety pre-snap, prioritize the post route since it splits the middle of the field with no help over the top
