Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Flood from Trips TE Offset Wk is a play-action flood concept that stacks three routes into the same side of the field. Off the play fake, the outside receiver runs a deep corner route stretching the boundary, the TE runs a deep out breaking toward the sideline underneath him, and the flanker releases into a flat route to complete the three level flood. Backside, the lone receiver runs a vertical to hold the single high safety honest. This is a classic Cover 3 beater since it floods one zone with three defenders forced to cover three different levels, and the primary read progresses from the deep corner route down to the flat.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap, since that shell leaves the deep corner route open against Cover 3. Watch the flat defender's depth and leverage at the snap, because if he sits too deep the underneath flood routes create easy completions on the deep out and flat. Key the play side outside linebacker or slot corner for a hard flat drop, which signals zone coverage and opens the corner route behind him. Man coverage with no safety help over the top shuts this down quickly, so look for press alignment on the outside receiver as a sign to bail to another concept. Watch for blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the play action fake, since a fast interior pressure can disrupt the quarterback before the flood routes fully develop.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for a single high safety look, since that is the clearest indicator of Cover 3 and this play's ideal matchup.
Read the flood side high to low, starting with the corner route and working down to the deep out and then the flat if the defense rolls coverage late.
Use play-action to hold linebackers and freeze the flat defender just long enough for the corner route to separate over the top.
If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, consider audibling to Verticals or Read Y Corner in this set to attack single coverage instead of forcing the flood.
Pair this play with Bounce PA Bubble Flood or RPO Read Bubble earlier in a series so the defense respects run action and bites harder on the play-action fake.
