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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
PA TE Scissors is a play-action pass out of Singleback Wing Slot 12 personnel that uses a scissors concept on the right side, where the TE crosses under the outside receiver's corner route while the slot runs a deep post underneath the crossing action. On the backside, the two receivers run a dig-and-comeback combo, and the RB releases into a flat route off the play-action fake to hold the linebackers. The play-action mesh point sells the run fake up front before the QB works right to the scissors, making this primarily a Cover 2 and Cover 4 beater since the crossing routes stretch the safeties vertically and horizontally. The primary read progression starts with the corner route against the deep half defender, then works down to the crossing post if the safety jumps outside, with the RB flat as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing since two safeties sitting at equal depth over the scissors side signals Cover 2, which this play is designed to exploit. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, which usually means Cover 3 or Cover 1, and this concept becomes tougher since the deep middle defender can rob the post. Post-snap, key the flat defender and corner on the scissors side, if the corner sits on the crossing route and the flat defender widens with the TE, the corner route window stays open. User-controlled defenders lurking at the crossing point of the scissors are the biggest threat, so if the user sits at the mesh point of the routes, look to the backside comeback or the RB flat instead. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can disrupt the play-action fake before the routes develop, so identify overload blitz looks pre-snap and consider a quick checkdown to the RB flat as the answer.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs after establishing the run game since the play-action fake needs defenders biting on run keys to open the scissors concept.
Identify Cover 2 shells pre-snap by checking if both safeties are aligned deep and equal depth, since the corner route will split the seam between the corner and safety.
If you see Cover 4 with quarters safeties reading run first, the crossing post underneath the corner route becomes the top read because those safeties will hesitate.
Hot route the backside comeback route into a deeper dig if you are facing heavy zone coverage to give the QB a second high-value throwing window away from the scissors side.
Pair this play with PA Y Corner or PA Boot Y Sail in the same set to keep defenses guessing between static play-action shots and rollout concepts, forcing linebackers to respect multiple run and pass keys off the same formation.
