Playbooks

PA Middle

Shotgun·Trips·10
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Spread Classic

Breakdown

PA Middle out of Shotgun Trips is a play-action shot play built to attack the middle of the field once the play fake freezes second and third level defenders. The trips side runs a combination designed to clear out underneath zones while a deep middle route (typically a post or dig from the backside or slot) sits down behind the linebackers who bite on the run fake. This is primarily a man beater against aggressive linebacker flow and single high shells, since the play fake forces LBs to step up and creates a natural window in the middle of the field for your primary read, which is the deep middle crosser or post working over the top of any zone drop.

Defensive Reads

Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake you have a clean throwing lane to the middle read Identify single high safety shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1, this play is designed to exploit the seam and post window created when the deep safety has to respect both the run and the vertical threat Look for user linebackers spying or sitting deep in a lurk technique, since a smart human defender can sit in the passing lane and bait the middle throw, if you see this hitch to your checkdown or backside option Beware of Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with safeties staying high, these shells take away the deep middle read and force you to check down quickly before the play fake eats up clock Key the weak side defensive end and any edge blitz, since play action rollout protection can be vulnerable to a fast edge rusher who does not respect the fake and crashes hard off the snap

Usage Tips

Run this on early downs (first or second and short to medium) when you have already established the run game, since the play fake only works if defenders respect the run threat

Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties rotate down or a single high safety cheating to the trips side, expect man coverage underneath and a favorable throwing window over the middle

Pair this with Inside Zone or HB Sweep earlier in the drive so the defense keys run action and starts flowing down on the fake, this sets up the explosive play behind them

Use hot routes to convert the backside receiver into a shallow drag or spot route if you see zone shells rotating quickly, giving you a checkdown against off coverage

Sequence this play with RPO Base Alert Bubble or 45 Quick Base in your play calling to keep the defense guessing between quick game and shot plays off similar formation looks

Other Plays in Trips