Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Seams from Shotgun Tight Offset TE runs a play-action fake to freeze the linebackers before attacking the seams and boundary with vertical stems. The diagram shows both outside receivers breaking into deep corner routes toward the sideline while the tight end (in the seam alignment) climbs straight up the middle on a seam route, with the backside receiver running a deep out/comeback toward the numbers. This is a play-action shot play designed to punish zone coverage that bites on the run fake, with the primary read progression starting at the seam route, then working to the corner route breaking to the near sideline.
Defensive Reads
Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he steps up hard on the run fake the seam route will be wide open behind him. Key the safeties before the snap, a two high shell with soft corners can squeeze the outside corner routes and force you to live check to the seam. This play struggles against Cover 3 Cloud or Cover 4 with a jamming corner on the outside route, since the flat defender can undercut the corner break. Look for a delayed blitz or spy off the edge, since play-action rollouts and seam concepts are vulnerable to a quick interior rush that beats the pass protection before routes develop. If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, take the corner route matchup outside since it isolates the cornerback in a footrace to the sideline.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like 1st or 2nd and medium when defenses expect run based on personnel and formation tendencies.
Check pre-snap for single high safety looks or Cover 3 shells, since the seam route splits zone defenders and the corner routes stretch the deep thirds.
If the defense shows two high safeties, hot route the seam runner to a slant or dig to combat Cover 4 or Cover 2 sink at the corner routes.
Pair this play with Inside Zone or HB Counter from the same set to sell the run fake consistently and keep linebackers honest on the play-action read.
Avoid calling this against aggressive man blitz packages unless you have a hot route ready to dump the ball quickly, since the play-action fake delays the quarterback's release.
