Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA Power O out of Singleback Doubles sells the Power O run action before releasing four receivers into a route combo built to attack zone drops off the play fake. The backside outside receiver runs a deep corner route while the backside slot works a deep out that sits behind the linebacker level, giving you a high low stretch on that side. The frontside combo features a receiver breaking off a vertical stem into an inside dig that crosses the field underneath the corner route, with the frontside slot releasing on a shallow drag underneath everything as the checkdown. This is a play action pass built to punish zone defenders who bite on the run fake, and your primary read starts with the corner route and works down to the dig if the safety jumps the deep route, with the drag as your final checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap identify single high versus two high safety shells since single high leaves the deep corner route more exposed to a big play. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake the dig route will have a clean throwing lane behind them. Key the flow of the underneath zone defenders on the backside, a fast flow to the play action fake opens the deep out route for an easy pitch and catch. This concept struggles against Cover 3 with a disciplined deep third defender who stays home on the corner route, so be ready to check down to the drag if that defender does not bite. Beware disguised blitzes where a linebacker crashes the play action fake and then drops late into a shallow zone, since that can jump the drag route or rob the underneath crosser.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first or second and short when the defense is respecting the run to maximize the play action hold on linebackers and safeties.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep the corner route has less window so prioritize the dig route working underneath.
Use your right stick to freeze or bait a user linebacker with the drag route before resetting your eyes to the corner or dig based on how the coverage rotates.
Pair this with HB Power O and Inside Zone from the same formation earlier in a series so the defense keys run fits, then hit this shot play once you feel linebackers stepping up aggressively.
Against man coverage look immediately to the corner route since it stacks on top of the cornerback, and against zone coverage work the dig route into the vacated middle of the field.
