Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Solid Corner is a play-action pass out of Singleback Trips 11 personnel that uses a run fake to hold the second level before attacking vertically. The play design shows the backside X running a deep corner route to the boundary while the trips side stacks a vertical seam into a corner route from the slot and a deep out breaking route from the outside receiver, creating a high low stretch on the sideline defenders. This is primarily a man beater against Cover 1 and Cover 3 because the corner and seam combo overloads one half of the field, and the primary read progression starts with the backside corner route, works to the trips seam to corner combo, and settles on the deep outside breaking route as the checkdown against a soft shell.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safeties, since single high Cover 1 or Cover 3 leaves the corner routes vulnerable to a well timed throw over the top. Watch the cornerback on the backside X route, if he sits in a soft zone shell rather than pressing, the corner route has a natural throwing window in the boundary. Post-snap, track the flow of the linebackers on the play fake, if they bite hard on the run action the seam route will be wide open before the safety can rotate over. Look for user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate middle zone, since they can undercut the seam to corner combo if the quarterback holds the ball too long. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties are the toughest matchup for this play, since the deep half defenders can sit on both corner routes and force the check down to the deep out.
Usage Tips
Use this on early down and distance situations like first and ten or second and short so the play fake actually holds linebackers and freezes the defense.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties bail deep at the snap you are likely facing Cover 2 or Cover 4 and should prioritize the deep out route on the trips side over the corner route.
Motion the backside X in tight before the snap if available to disguise the corner route release and get a free run at the cornerback.
Pair this play in your call sheet with Sft Mtn PA Dagger Crosser or Stick to keep the defense guessing between shallow crossers and deeper corner shots off similar backfield action.
If the user controlled defender flies down on the run fake, immediately hit the backside corner route since that man is now out of position to help over the top.
