Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| HB1 | Left | Out |
| WR3 | Left | Deep Post |
| WR2 | Left | Fade |
| TE1 | Right | Speed In |
| WR1 | Left | Corner |
PA Deep Sail is a play-action shot play out of the Shotgun Trips TE Flex Close WK set designed to attack deep zone coverage with a vertical sail concept. The play-action fake holds linebackers and the play safety for a beat while the sail route stems from the flat to a deep corner breaking route, stacking the sideline from low to high. Primary read progression starts with the deep sail route to the trips side, works down to the intermediate crosser or flat option if the safety jumps the deep throw, and finishes with the checkdown if the pocket collapses or the deep window is closed.
Identify whether the defense shows single high or two high safeties pre snap, since single high leaves the sail route matched up favorably against a cornerback in man coverage. Watch the play side outside linebacker or slot corner for a jump on the play-action fake, which confirms man coverage or an aggressive run fit and opens the sail route behind him. Key the deep safety's break post snap. If he stays flat footed on the run fake, the sail throw is live, but if he gets depth immediately you are facing zone coverage that requires working the ball underneath. Beware Cover 3 shells with a hard flat corner, since a user controlled corner can sink and take away the sail throw, forcing you to the intermediate option. Recognize disguised blitzes from depth showing zone pre snap, as a delayed linebacker blitz through the play-action fake can collapse the pocket before your first read develops.
Call this on early downs or second and short when you have play-action tendencies established from Inside Zone or Outside Zone runs in this set so linebackers bite on the fake.
Check the deep safety alignment before the snap. If you see two high safeties rotate to a single high shell post snap, expect the corner to sink under the sail route and you should work the underneath crosser instead.
Use hot routes to convert the flat route into a flat sit if you see Cover 2 corners squatting on the sail, giving you a quick outlet against the shell.
Pair this play with Mtn Dagger and Switch Dagger earlier in a drive so the defense respects the vertical shot every time you show trips to that side.
Avoid calling this against heavy blitz packages unless you have hot routed protection, since the play-action fake delays your quarterback drop and leaves him exposed to edge pressure.