Playbooks
PA Power O sells the Power O run action with pulling linemen stepping right before the QB pulls it back for a play-action pass. This is a play-action shot play built to attack overaggressive run fits, using the run fake to hold linebackers and safeties for a beat while receivers work vertical and intermediate breaks downfield. It is primarily a man beater against teams that key run flow, with the deep route as the first read and a check down to the backfield if the pocket collapses or the shot is covered.
Read the linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the play-action fake you have a clean throwing window over the middle. Identify single high versus two high safety shells before the snap, single high means more one on one opportunities on the outside routes. Watch for user linebackers spying the fake instead of committing, since a disciplined defender there will jump underneath routes and take away the primary read. Against Cover 3 or Cover 1 with aggressive run fits this play hits hard, but versus Cover 4 or Cover 2 with disciplined zone drops the shot route can get taken away. Key the edge defenders on play-action rollouts within this concept, if they crash hard on the run fake it opens a passing lane, but if they stay home and contain, the pocket collapses fast.
Run this on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage so the run fake actually holds the defense honest.
Watch pre-snap for stacked box counts and linebackers creeping toward the line, since that tells you they are keying run and are more likely to bite on the fake.
Pair PA Power O with HB Power O and HB Dive earlier in a series so the defense over-commits to the run look before you go back to this shot play.
If the safety shell shows two high pre-snap, be ready to work the underneath check down since the deep shot may be capped.
Use hot routes to convert the backside receiver into a quick out or drag against teams that show blitz, giving you a fast answer if the fake does not fully sell.