Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Dbl Mtn PA Slide is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Wing Slot Offset with 12 personnel that sells the run fake before attacking downfield with two mountain routes and an underneath slide. Off the play fake, both outside receivers push vertical up the seams on mountain routes that break toward the sideline near the numbers, while the offset TE releases on a slide route working laterally across the middle of the field as a checkdown against the flow of the fake. This is a play-action man beater designed to isolate the two vertical breakers against off coverage or created matchups, with the primary read starting on the near-side mountain route for the explosive shot, then working over to the far mountain, and using the slide route as the safety valve underneath if the shot is covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch the play side linebacker depth at the snap, if he steps up hard on the fake the slide route will be uncovered in the shallow to intermediate zone. Key the corners' feet on the outside mountain routes, if they open their hips to run with the vertical stem before the break you have a lurking man coverage defender who can undercut the sideline break. Identify two high safety shells pre-snap since they can rob the mountain breaks by sitting on the sideline window and shrinking the passing lane. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play hurts a defense most because both outside routes get one on one shots against a defender who has to respect the play fake first. Zone blitzes or Cover 3 buzz looks can be a problem if the underneath defenders sink into the slide route lane instead of biting on run action, so scan the middle linebacker's drop angle after the snap.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short so the play fake actually threatens the defense and freezes linebackers. Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep the mountain routes will take longer to develop so be ready to check down to the slide route quickly. Against single high or Cover 3 looks, trust the near mountain route since the corner has to respect the vertical break and the seam window opens fast. If the defense shows aggressive run blitz keys or crashing linebackers, this play punishes overpursuit since your slide man will have a wide open lane once the second level bites on the fake. Pair this with Dbl Mtn Split Zone or Dbl Mtn Inside Zone Split earlier in a series so the defense respects the run fake, then dial up PA Slide once you have their linebackers keying run.
