PA Cheat Dagger runs the classic Dagger concept off a play-action fake from Shotgun Wing Slot Offset with 12 personnel. Off the fake, the outer receiver clears vertically on the seam while the inner slot runs a deep dig that settles behind the linebackers, and the backside receiver works a shallow drag underneath while the fullback or in-line TE releases on a check release flare into the boundary. The primary read progression starts with the vertical seam clear-out to see how the safety reacts, then works down to the dig sitting in the void, with the shallow drag and flare as checkdown options against a hard blitz. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater built to attack the intermediate zones vacated by a two-high or three-deep shell.

Defensive Reads

Read the free safety at the snap, if he stays over the top on the seam route the dig behind him will be open in the intermediate zone. Watch the linebacker depth after the play-action fake, if they bite hard on the run fake the dig route sits wide open with no underneath defender in the throwing lane. Key the flat defender or corner on the shallow drag, if he squeezes inside to help on the dig, the flare route to the fullback or TE becomes the outlet. Diagnose man versus zone by watching the slot defender at the snap, if he mirrors the dig runner in man coverage rather than sitting in a zone, expect the seam to be the first read winner instead. Be wary of a blitz that brings extra defenders through the play-action fake window, since Cheat Dagger has limited protection against a fast interior pressure and the quarterback needs to get the ball out on the shallow route or flare quickly.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or second and medium when you have play-action tendencies established to freeze linebackers on the fake and open the dig window.

Pre-snap, identify if the safety is rotating to a two-high shell, if so the seam route is your clear-out and the dig behind it becomes the primary target.

Against Cover 3, target the dig sitting between the underneath zone and deep third defender, since that hole is the natural weak spot of a three-deep shell.

Hot route the drag route into a deeper crossing route if you diagnose man coverage, since Dagger naturally wins against man when the seam pulls the deep defender.

Pair this call with Double Cross or Mesh Spot earlier in a drive so the defense respects your quick game, making the play-action element of PA Cheat Dagger hit harder later.

PA Cheat Dagger

Quick Reference

In 4 playbooks

Receiver routes

Read progression

Breakdown

Defensive Reads

Usage Tips

Other Plays in Wing Slot Offset