Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Deep Curls out of Singleback Tight Y Off shows a play-action shot off the run fake, with both outside receivers running vertical stems before breaking down into curls near the sticks, sitting down in soft zones between 12-15 yards. The two inside blockers (X's at the line) hold protection to sell the run fake and buy time in the pocket. This is a play-action pass designed as a zone beater, attacking cushion corners and hook/curl defenders who bite on the run fake, with the primary read being the curl route to the play-side you feel is getting more cushion at the snap, working left to right or right to left based on the leverage of the flat and curl/flat defenders.
Defensive Reads
Diagnose two-high safety shells before the snap, as PA Deep Curls is built to exploit cover 2 and cover 4 zone drops where hook/curl defenders climb underneath the curl breaks. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they bite hard on the run fake, both curl windows open up immediately against man or zone coverage. Beware of user-controlled safeties sitting in the deep middle or lurking underneath, since a good user read can jump the curl route and undercut it for a pick six. Aggressive man coverage with press corners can disrupt the timing of the curl breaks, so look for blitz packages or man press alignments that signal this play may get shut down before the routes develop. Cover 3 with a hard-charging slot blitz or overload pressure can collapse the pocket before the curls even break, so check protection numbers and identify extra rushers pre-snap.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and medium) when the defense is respecting the run based on personnel and formation tendencies.
Read the safeties pre-snap: if you see two-high shells rotating down into run support after the play fake, that confirms zone coverage and the curls will sit in soft spots.
If the corners are playing off coverage with a big cushion, hit the curl as soon as the receiver plants and turns back to the quarterback, do not wait for full separation.
Pair this play with HB Dive, HB Stretch, or Inside Zone Split earlier in a drive to sell the run fake and get linebackers flowing downhill, making PA Deep Curls hit even harder later in the series.
Combine this with PA Deep Out or PA Deep Cross from the same set to keep defenders guessing between curl and out breaking concepts off identical play-action shot action.
