Playbooks
PA Deep Read is a play-action shot play out of Singleback U Off Close that sells the run fake with the HB before releasing multiple vertical and deep breaking routes off the boot action. With 12 personnel on the field, the tight ends give you extra in-line blockers to sustain the play fake, which helps freeze linebackers and hold the safeties before they can get their eyes on the deep routes. This is a man beater and zone beater hybrid, best used against single high shells, and the primary read progression starts with the deep outside route on a go or deep dig, working back to a crossing route or deep in from the opposite side if the top read is covered.
Identify single high safety looks pre-snap, since Cover 1 and Cover 3 are the most vulnerable shells to the deep outside read route in this concept. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard on the run fake it confirms man or zone with poor deep help, opening up the vertical routes immediately. Be alert for a user-controlled safety lurking in the middle of the field, since a smart user will sit on the deep crosser or dig route and try to jump the throw. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4, expect the deep safeties to stay disciplined and not bite on the play fake, which shuts down the top of your progression and forces you to check down. Look for a delayed blitz or contain defender crashing off the edge on the play-action boot, since that pressure can collapse the pocket before your deep read develops.
Run this on early downs like first or second and medium to keep defenses honest against the run action from this personnel grouping.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties rotate down into the box or a single high safety cheat toward the boot side, that tells you which vertical route will win.
Use hot routes to convert the underneath crosser into a shallow drag or spot route if you diagnose zone coverage with linebackers sitting deep, giving you a quick outlet against a zone drop.
Pair this play with PA Deep Cross earlier in a drive so the defense sees similar play-action footwork and starts biting on the run fake, then hit them with Deep Read for the explosive shot.
Avoid calling this on third and long against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells since the deep safeties will have time to read the play fake and close on the vertical routes.
Combine with HB Dive or Inside Zone Split in the same set to establish run tendencies from this formation, making the play-action fake more believable to the defense.