Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Post Dig out of Singleback Toad X Nasty (11 personnel) sells the run fake before working a three level stretch on the play side. The outside receiver runs a deep post to occupy the deep safety while the slot man runs a dig sitting in the middle void behind linebackers, and the backside receiver clears out on a shallow drag to the flat to hold underneath defenders. This is a play-action pass built as a man beater against single high looks, with the primary read progression going post to dig to the drag/flat check down underneath.
Defensive Reads
Check the safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety means the post has room to work behind linebackers once he bites on the run fake. Watch cornerback press or off alignment on the post route release, physical press corners can disrupt the timing and force an early hitch in the route. Read linebacker depth at the snap, shallow linebackers who crash down on the play-action open a soft dig window right behind them. Identify any user lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, since that player can jump the dig route if he reads quarterback eyes. Cover 2 or cover 4 shells with two deep safeties shut this down quickly because the post has no vertical space and the dig runs into a crowded zone.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells pre-snap since the post route is designed to attack the void created when the safety has to respect play-action and cheat toward the box.
Hot route the backside drag into a deeper corner or flat route if you diagnose two high shells, since the dig will sit in a crowded underneath zone against split safety coverage.
Use this on early downs like first or second and medium to keep defenses honest against the run action from Toad X Nasty, then pair it with HB Power O or HB Dive to keep linebackers biting on the fake.
Sequence this play after a few reps of Mtn PA Boot Insert Cross or Mtn PA Z Slide so defenders start jumping underneath routes, opening the post for an explosive shot play.
If the defense shows heavy blitz pre-snap, target the dig quickly since it settles in the intermediate zone before pressure arrives, and keep an eye on user blitzers coming off the edge.
