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Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Ctr Shot is a play-action shot play out of Singleback Wing Pair 13 personnel that sells a center run fake before attacking the deep middle of the field. The offensive line executes down blocks and pulls to mirror the run action, holding linebackers and safeties for a beat while the receivers push vertically into deep shots. This is a man beater and zone beater hybrid designed to punish aggressive run fits, with the primary read progression starting on the deep post or seam route that opens off the run fake, working down to an intermediate crosser or dig as the secondary read, and finishing with the checkdown to the backfield or flat if the shot routes are blanketed.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap, this alignment tells you the defense is vulnerable to the deep shot route because the middle of the field is exposed. Identify linebacker depth before the snap, if the linebackers are stacked tight to the line anticipating run, they will bite on the fake and open passing lanes underneath and over the top. Post-snap, key the safety's first step, if he steps up to fill the run gap instead of staying deep, the shot route to the middle of the field will be wide open. Beware of Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells that keep two defenders deep, these shells take away the vertical shot and force you to check down to the intermediate or short routes. Watch for user-controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position in the middle of the field, since a smart user player will abandon run responsibilities to jump the shot route if they read play-action quickly.
Usage Tips
Call this play on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short when you have already established the run game with plays like 26 Duo, HB Inside Zone, or Power O so the linebackers and safeties bite on the fake.
Check the pre-snap safety alignment before the snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the box or creeping down, that is your green light to trust the deep shot route.
Use the play-action window to let your primary vertical route develop, do not rush your throw, the fake needs a full beat to freeze second level defenders.
Hot route your underneath crosser into a deeper option against teams that show two-high shells pre-snap, since Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells will sit on the shot route and take away the big play.
Pair this with 0 1 Trap and HB Counter Wk earlier in a drive to condition the defense to bite on inside run action, then punish overaggressive linebackers with this shot play when they start crashing downhill.
