Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Post Shot is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun U Off Trips with 12 personnel that sells a run fake before airing it out downfield. From the trips side, the outermost receiver runs a deep post that stems toward the middle of the field, the middle trips receiver breaks off a deep in/dig route crossing the field, and the inside slot receiver runs a shallow drag underneath heading to the opposite sideline, while the backside X receiver runs a vertical seam up the numbers. This is a man beater at its core, using the post and dig combo to attack single high looks and create natural rub traffic, with the primary read progression starting on the backside vertical for a big play shot, then working to the post, then settling on the dig, with the shallow drag as the checkdown against a hard blitz.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high versus two high safety shells before the snap, since single high leaves the deep middle exposed to the post and dig combo. Watch linebacker depth and blitz indicators, since a hard inside blitz opens up the shallow drag as an easy underneath completion but also creates one-on-one opportunities for the post if the safety has to account for the run fake. User the deep middle safety or a lurking linebacker to sit on the dig route, since that crossing route is the second read and often the easiest completion if left uncovered. Against man coverage, look for the cornerback on the post route to see if he is playing outside leverage, since a good post beats outside leverage but struggles against inside leverage or a safety help over the top. Cover 3 with a sky or cloud rotation tends to shut this down if the deep third defender stays disciplined and does not bite on the play-action fake, so watch for that discipline post-snap before committing to the post read.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or second-and-medium when defenses are more likely to bite on the run fake rather than in obvious passing situations.
Check the safety alignment before the snap: a single high safety tells you the post and dig combo will have room to work, while two high safeties means you should lean on the backside vertical seam or the shallow drag.
Hot route the shallow drag into a spot route or speed out if you are facing a Cover 3 sink zone shell so you have a quicker underneath answer against zone drops.
Pair this play with Read Option or Inside Zone from the same set to keep the defense honest on the ground before dialing up the shot play, since the run fake sells harder when defenders have respected the run game on prior snaps.
Use PA U Corner Flood or Deep Post Corner from the same set as a follow-up call once the defense starts jumping the post route, giving you a corner route answer against the same shell.
