Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA WR In is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Trips (10 personnel) that hits off a hard fake to the backfield before the QB works a three-level flood to the trips side. The backside single receiver runs a quick out breaker while the outermost trips receiver runs a deep in that cuts across the field, the inside trips receiver runs a corner route up the seam, and the middle trips receiver clears vertically up the numbers before bending outside late. The blocking scheme sells the run fake up front to hold linebackers, and the primary read progression starts with the deep in route sitting down in the middle of the field, then works to the corner route breaking to the sideline, with the backside out route as a checkdown against soft coverage.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth immediately after the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake it confirms the play action is working and the deep in route will have a soft spot to settle into. Identify single high safety shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1, since the in route can split zone defenders sitting underneath the deep safety. Look for a user-controlled defender sitting in the middle hook zone or lurking near the in route breakpoint, as this is the biggest threat to the primary read. Man coverage with inside leverage on the trips receivers is vulnerable to the deep in route crossing the formation, but tight man coverage from the slot with safety help over the top can disrupt the corner route. Blitzes that bring extra defenders off the edge can beat this play if the protection cannot hold up long enough for the deep routes to develop, so watch for overload pressure looks pre-snap.
Usage Tips
Sell the play fake by letting the animation play out fully before your first read, since jumping the throw too early kills the run fake's effect on linebackers.
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep the in route from the trips side will have room to sit down in the void between the linebackers and safeties.
Use this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and medium when defenses are more likely to respect the run action and bite on the play fake.
Pair this with RPO Alert Screen or RPO Zone Alert Screen earlier in a drive to condition the defense into keying run action, making this PA shot more effective later.
If the corner route is capped by a deep defender, work back to the shallow crosser or the backside out for a safe completion instead of forcing the ball into coverage.
Motion the middle trips receiver pre-snap if available to get a free coverage read and confirm man versus zone before the snap.
