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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
PA Boot Y Sail is a play-action rollout concept out of Singleback Wing Slot 12 personnel that boots the quarterback to the right off a run fake, giving him a clear three level read. The tight end runs the sail route breaking to the flat, the deep outside receiver runs a corner route stemming vertically before breaking outside, and the two backside receivers run a deep dig and a shallow drag away from the play action flow. The blocking scheme sells run action up front while the fullback or blocking tight end sets the edge on the boot side, and the primary read progression works high to low: corner route first, then the sail route underneath, with the backside dig available if the pocket holds and the quarterback resets. This is a strong Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater since it attacks the flat defender and the deep outside third simultaneously.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap identify two deep safeties for Cover 2 or a single high safety for Cover 3, both shells are vulnerable to this concept but require different reads. Watch the flat defender or corner at the snap, if he sits on the sail route the corner route behind him is open, if he bails deep with the corner route the sail sits wide open underneath. Key the play side linebacker for run blitz or contain rush, aggressive edge pressure off the boot side can collapse the pocket before the corner route develops. User controlled lurk defenders sinking into the flat or the deep third are the biggest threat, if the defense shows a spy or rat defender dropping into that throwing lane look backside to the drag or dig immediately. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the corner route beating a trailing cornerback, but a disciplined Cover 4 or Cover 6 shell with a deep half defender staying square can take away both the corner and sail read.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or manageable third down distances since the play action fake needs run respect to fully sell and hold linebackers.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two deep safeties sitting at 10 to 12 yards this is a green light for the Cover 2 beater since the corner route will climb over the flat defender into the vacated deep half.
Roll the quarterback with the boot action and get your eyes to the corner route first, if the deep defender jumps it come down immediately to the sail route sitting in the flat for the easy completion.
Hot route the backside drag into a deeper crosser against Cover 3 if you need a answer against a single high safety rotating hard to the boot side.
Pair this with PA Boot TE Leak or PA Boot Slide in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect multiple boot concepts off the same run action, then mix in Inside Zone Split or HB Zone Wk to keep linebackers honest on the fake.
