Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA FL Stretch is a play-action pass off the outside zone stretch fake from Singleback Ace Slot 12 personnel. The play sells the stretch run action to the boot side while sending the backside receiver on a deep vertical dig, the slot receiver on a corner route up the numbers, and the two remaining receivers on a flat and out combo at the sticks that stretches the field horizontally. It is built as a zone beater, using the vertical and corner routes to attack deep zone drops while the flat and out combo gives the quarterback an easy underneath completion if the play-action freezes linebackers. The primary read starts with the corner route breaking to the boundary, works down to the flat route as the checkdown against a soft cover shell, and finishes with the backside vertical dig as a shot play if the safety bites on the run fake.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers stepping up hard on the run fake, that flow confirms the play-action window is open for the flat and corner routes. Identify two high safeties pre-snap, since split safety shells with disciplined eyes can sit on the corner route and take away the deep shot. Key the flat defender, if he stays wide and sinks with the flat route it signals zone coverage, allowing the quarterback to work the corner route over the top. Look for a lurking linebacker or nickel defender sitting in the shallow zone between the flat and out routes, that user-controlled defender can jump the underneath combo and bait a turnover. Against man coverage with press corners, this play is more vulnerable since the routes lack a true quick man beater underneath, so expect the quarterback to hold the ball longer and take a hit if the edge blitz gets home.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs, especially first and second and short to medium, so the play-action fake carries maximum threat against run-committed defenses.
Check the safety depth pre-snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the box, take the shot on the backside vertical dig immediately off the fake.
Use your hot routes to convert the flat route into a quicker option against man coverage if you see man alignment on the outside receivers pre-snap.
Pair this play with HB Stretch and PA Boot Over in the same set so the defense has to respect the outside zone action every snap, making the corner and dig routes hit even harder later in the drive.
Avoid calling this against aggressive blitz-heavy defenses unless you have a hot route dumpoff ready, since the play-action drop can be slow to develop and vulnerable to edge pressure.
