Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Y Middle Screen runs from Singleback Tight Y Off Flex with 11 personnel and fakes the run before setting up a middle screen underneath. The two outside receivers push vertical and clear out with a deep in-and-up combo on the left while the flanker breaks outside, dragging linebackers and safeties away from the middle of the field. Up front the offensive line sells run blocking then releases to escort the Y (tight end) on the delayed middle screen, making this a screen pass designed to bait aggressive pass rushers and beat man coverage or blitz-heavy fronts, with the primary read being the Y screen underneath before working to the deep clear-out routes if the screen is covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch for defenses that bring interior pressure or blitz off the edge, since the extra rushers vacate the middle of the field and open up the screen lane for the Y. If the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 with deep zone drops, the underneath linebackers are your key, aggressive linebackers flowing to the play action fake will get exploited by the screen. Man coverage teams that put a linebacker in man on the tight end are extremely vulnerable here because the screen blockers create a numbers advantage in space. Beware disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers at home and spy the middle, since a patient defender sitting under the screen can blow it up for a loss. Also read safety depth pre-snap, if both safeties are shallow and crashing on run fakes there is no help over the top on the clear-out routes if you have to check it down late.
Usage Tips
Call this play when you see linebackers creeping toward the line of scrimmage or safeties showing two-high with aggressive edge rushers, since the play action freeze and screen timing punish overpursuit. Use it on early downs like first and ten or second and medium to keep defenses honest against your run game out of this personnel. Before the snap check for man coverage on the tight end, if a linebacker is tight in man the screen blockers can spring him for a big gain once he catches the pass. Hot route the backside deep route into a shorter option if you are worried about a spy sitting in the middle of the field. Pair this with 0 1 Trap or Inside Zone Split earlier in a series so the play action fake actually holds linebackers, then hit this screen once they start biting on run action.
