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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Pats HB Dive out of Singleback Deuce (12 personnel) is a straight downhill run play that sends the halfback through the A gap behind a base blocking scheme from the center and guards, with both tight ends providing extra support in-line. This is a pure run play, not a play-action or RPO, designed to punish light boxes and attack aggressive linebacker fits with quick vertical burst. The primary read progression starts with the frontside A gap, then bounces to the backside cutback lane if the defensive tackle or linebacker flow overcommits.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth pre-snap, if both linebackers are stacked tight to the line expect a quick fill and be ready to bounce outside. Identify the defensive tackle alignment, a shaded nose or 3 technique can clog the frontside A gap and force an immediate cutback read. This play struggles against gap-sound 4-3 or 3-4 fronts with disciplined edge defenders since there is minimal misdirection to create angles. Look for safeties cheating down into the box on early downs, that signals run support priority and increases the odds of a stacked front stuffing the dive. Against user-controlled linebackers, the play succeeds when they bite on flow to the frontside, leaving the backside cutback lane open for a chunk gain.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only run this against six defenders in the box or fewer since the extra TE means less room if defenders stack the line.
Use this play on early downs like first and ten or second and short to keep the offense on schedule and set up play-action counters later in the drive.
Pair this with PA Power O and PA Boot Slide from the same set so the defense has to respect the run action off Deuce personnel before you attack off tendency.
If the defense shows a walked-up linebacker or safety creeping into the box pre-snap, consider hot routing a tight end into a chip or checking to HB Blunt Dive for a tighter interior track.
Against user-controlled defenders flying downhill on run reads, use manual controller input on the halfback to press the hole late and force a cutback for a bigger gain.
