Playbooks
PA Counter Post Curls is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Wide Doubles Y Off WK that sells the counter run action from the RPO Alert Counter and Power G looks in this set before working a post and curl combination downfield. The counter fake pulls up linebackers and safeties who are keying run fits, opening throwing lanes for the post route to attack the middle of the field while the curl routes settle underneath as check down and zone beater options. Primary read progression starts with the post against single high or Cover 3 rotation, then works to the curl breaking off the same fake if the safety stays deep, and finishes with the underneath curls versus zone drops or if the pocket collapses.
Read the middle linebacker and strong safety flow at the snap, if they step up hard on the counter fake the post will have a clean throwing lane behind them Identify single high shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3 pre-snap since the deep post route thrives when there is only one deep defender to beat Watch for a Cover 2 or Cover 4 shell with safeties staying deep and level, this shuts down the post window and shifts your priority to the curl routes underneath Key any user controlled defender spying the play-action from depth, since a disciplined lurk defender sitting in the throwing lane can jump the post if the fake does not hold him Beware zone blitz packages or nano blitzes that bring extra rushers up front, since the play-action drop needs time to develop and a fast pressure package can force an early checkdown to the curls
Sell the counter fake by letting the play-action animation fully play out before hunting for the post, since defenders keying the mesh point will bite and vacate the deep middle
Use this play on early downs like first and ten or second and short when defenses are more likely to respect the counter run tendency you have built with Power G and RPO Alert Buck Sweep
Check safety depth before the snap, if you see two high safeties bail into deep zones the post window will be tighter so prioritize the curl route sitting down in the void
Pair this call after running RPO Alert Counter or Power G a few times in a drive so linebackers start cheating up on run action, then hit them with this shot play to punish overaggressive fits
Hot route the curl to a deeper comeback if you are facing aggressive underneath zone defenders who jump the initial break, this keeps the route ahead of lurking linebackers