Playbooks
PA Deep Choice out of Shotgun Wide Slot Left is a play-action pass built around an option route that gives the receiver the freedom to sit, break out, or break in based on the leverage of the defender covering him. The play-action fake holds the linebackers and safeties for a beat, opening up the choice route as the primary read while deep shots develop on the outside as the secondary window. This is a man beater at its core since the choice route exploits any defender playing tight man coverage, but it also has zone beater value against soft zone shells because the receiver can settle into the open grass between levels.
Read the free safety depth pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow at 8 to 10 yards he is likely keying the play-action and can jump the choice route once it settles, so be ready to reset your eyes to the outside shot. Watch the slot cornerback or linebacker assigned to the choice route at the snap, a hard outside shade means he expects an out break, a hard inside shade means bail to the corner or work the in cut. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play wins easiest, since the choice route creates natural separation off the break. Cover 3 with a sky safety rotating down can sit on the choice route and turn it into a low ceiling checkdown, so know your outlet before the snap if you see that rotation. Watch for a user lurk defender spying the middle of the field after the play-action fake, since a smart user will abandon his zone assignment to jump underneath routes and take away the choice window entirely.
Check the pre-snap alignment of the slot defender covering the choice route, if he is playing off man or soft zone you want him to sit down for an easy completion, if he is playing tight man press him vertically with the break out or break in adjustment. Use this on early downs like first or second and medium when defenses are more likely to respect the run fake from Shotgun. Hot route the choice receiver to a fixed break if you are getting confused looks from a defense that disguises man and zone well, this removes the guesswork and lets you commit to the throw. Pair this with HB Dive or Inside Zone Split earlier in a series to sell the run fake harder, then come back to PA Deep Choice once the linebackers start creeping up on run downs. Sequence this with Z Sluggo or PA Post Curls to keep the safeties honest, if they start cheating toward the choice route every snap the sluggo or post shot behind it will be wide open.