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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
PA Post Shot from Trio Offset out of Shotgun sells a run fake before releasing three vertical threats into a deep shot concept. The outside receiver runs a skinny post from the top of the formation, while the two inside receivers push vertically upfield and break into deep posts of their own, stacking three deep routes that attack the middle of the field and the seams. This is a play-action shot play designed to punish single high looks and man coverage by clearing out underneath zones with the run fake and forcing safeties to choose which post to defend, with the primary read progression going from the far post breaking first, down to the two inside posts working behind it.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle of the field pre-snap, if you see a single high safety this play is live because the posts will collapse on and overload that one deep defender. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they bite hard on the run fake it opens a throwing lane for the shallower post before the safety can rotate over. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells as the primary counter, since the deep zone defenders can sit on the posts and force a difficult throw into a crowded middle. Key any user-controlled defender lurking in the intermediate middle zone, a spot-dropping linebacker or safety can jump the underrun post route and create a turnover. Look for disguised two high safety looks that rotate into man coverage after the snap, this can bait a bad read on the far post if you do not confirm the coverage post-snap before committing to a throw.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or in shot-play windows when you have already established the run game with Inside Zone or Power O from this same set so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers and safeties.
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties rotate down late or a single high safety cheating to one side, target the post away from that help.
Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the corner alignment to confirm man coverage, since all three posts are true man beaters that separate hard against outside leverage.
Hot route the underneath route to a shallow drag or flat if you diagnose zone coverage sitting deep, giving yourself a checkdown against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells.
Pair this shot play with Verticals or Flanker Dig earlier in a series so defenses respect the deep ball, then come back to PA Post Shot when they start jumping underneath routes.
