Playbooks

PA Slot Under

Shotgun·Trey Open·11

Play Action Pass Play

Play diagram for PA Slot Under from Shotgun Trey Open in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrey Open

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

PA Slot Under is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Trey Open that shows run action to the backfield before the QB works the pass concept. On the backside, a receiver runs a deep comeback route breaking outside toward the sideline, while a second receiver runs a shallow cross underneath from that same side. On the play side, the inside receiver runs a quick out that settles at the sticks, another receiver climbs vertically up the seam, and the outside receiver runs a shallow drag across the field that turns into the primary flat conversion route. This is a play-action man beater built to attack aggressive linebackers and safeties who bite on the run fake, with the drag as the first read and the vertical seam as the field-stretching answer if the underneath defenders sink.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing single high or two high safeties, single high means the play fake has a better chance to freeze the strong safety on the vertical seam route. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake, the shallow drag and flat routes will be wide open immediately behind them. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender dropping into the shallow zone, since the drag route is the first read and a smart user lurk will sit on it. Cover 3 with a hard-charging strong safety on run fake is the ideal shell to attack, since the vertical seam and comeback route both exploit the vacated deep thirds. Man coverage with press corners can shut this down early if the corner jams the comeback route at the line, so be ready to hot route that receiver into a quicker breaking route against physical press techniques. Cover 2 shells with disciplined linebackers who do not bite on the fake will clog the shallow drag and out route, forcing the QB to hold the ball longer and risk pressure.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs (first or second and short to medium) so the play fake actually holds linebackers and safeties who are keying run.

Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep, the play fake will not hold long, so get to your drag or out route quickly instead of waiting on the vertical seam.

Hot route the backside comeback into a hitch or slant if you see man coverage across from a slower corner, it turns a low percentage low route into an easy conversion.

Pair this with Y Cross or Under Y Out from the same Trey Open set to keep the defense guessing between crossing patterns and the slot under concept, both share similar initial action but diverge in the route depth.

Follow up a successful PA Slot Under with HB Draw or Inside Zone from the same formation to punish defenses that start keying pass off the play-action look, since both plays share the same pre-snap picture.