Playbooks
Breakdown
PA Read out of Shotgun Tight Slot Flip is a play-action pass built off a run fake to sell the defense on run action before the QB works a three level read to one side of the field. The diagram shows a deep vertical seam or post from the inline receiver, a corner or deep out from the middle route breaking outside near the sideline, and a shallow drag or flat route crossing underneath from the opposite side of the formation. This is a man beater concept that stresses a single defender with a high low read on the vertical and flat while the drag gives the QB a checkdown against man coverage that gets picked or rubbed off the formation. Primary progression starts with the deep vertical route to see if the play action freezes the safety, then works down to the corner breaking route, and finishes with the underneath drag as the last resort against a hard close.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety shell before the snap, this tells you the defense is likely in man coverage and susceptible to the vertical route beating a slower linebacker or safety in coverage. If the defense shows two deep safeties with off man or zone corners, expect the corner breaking route to be the primary answer since the vertical route will be capped by the deep half defender. Key the play side linebacker at the snap, if he sits on the run fake and does not carry the vertical route or wall off the drag, the QB should hit the deep shot immediately. User controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position over the drag route can jump the underlying throw, so if you see a defender hovering in that window be ready to reset to the corner route instead. A hard blitz look with the defense stacking the box pre snap is a green light for this concept since the play action will hold the extra rusher just long enough for the vertical or corner route to separate downfield.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like first or second and medium to keep the defense honest against your run game in this set since the play action fake mirrors HB Sweep and Inside Zone.
Check the safety depth pre snap, if you see a single high safety cheating up expect man coverage underneath and prioritize the vertical route on your first read.
Hot route the drag into a deeper crosser against zone heavy defenses if the shallow route is getting sat on by underneath linebackers.
Pair this play in sequence after running Inside Zone or HB Sweep a few times so the linebackers bite on the run fake and vacate the intermediate zone.
Avoid calling this on third and long since the play action fake eats clock and the deepest route takes time to develop against a pass rush.
