Playbooks

PA Saints Sail

Singleback·Wing Tight·13
Play ActionSailPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 Beater

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

In 1 playbook

Balanced OffenseOffense

Breakdown

PA Saints Sail is a play-action pass out of Singleback Wing Tight 13 personnel that uses the classic sail concept: a deep out or corner route from the outside receiver, a sail (flag) route from the tight end or wing to the flat/intermediate area, and a shallow flat route underneath to hold linebackers. The play-action fake to the HB freezes second-level defenders, opening throwing lanes against both zone drops and man leverage. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, with the primary read progression starting on the deep sail route to attack the flat defender or cornerback's outside leverage, working down to the intermediate sail/corner route against Cover 2 cloud coverage, and finishing with the shallow flat route as the checkdown against heavy zone drops.

Defensive Reads

Check pre-snap safety alignment first: two-high shells signal Cover 2 or Cover 4 zone drops, which makes the deep sail route vulnerable on the outside numbers. Watch cornerback press versus off alignment, since press corners in Cover 3 or man leverage will struggle to recover on the sail route's outside break if you sell the play-action fake convincingly. Post-snap, track the flat defender or curl-flat linebacker, because if he bites hard on the play-action run fake, the shallow flat route and sail route both open up behind him. Beware of Cover 4 quarters coverage with disciplined safeties who stay deep and read the QB's eyes, since this shell can bracket the sail route and force you to check down early. Watch for user-controlled defenders lurking in the intermediate sail window, especially in Cover 3, since a smart user player can jump the sail route if the quarterback stares it down too long before checking his eyes to the flat.

Usage Tips

Use PA Saints Sail on early downs in first and second down situations where defenses expect run action off the play-action fake, since 13 personnel with a wing tight formation naturally sells run to linebackers and safeties.

Identify the coverage shell pre-snap by checking safety depth: if you see two high safeties sitting at 10 to 12 yards, expect Cover 2 or Cover 4, which means the sail route to the flat/corner area is your primary target against the cornerback's outside shoulder.

If the safeties show single high or rotate late, anticipate Cover 3, and target the intermediate sail route sitting between the cornerback's deep drop and the flat defender's underneath zone.

Hot route the shallow flat receiver into a quick out if you see man coverage with press corners, giving you a quick-hitting man beater option if the deep routes are covered.

Pair this play with PA Boot Flood or PA Y Sail earlier in a drive to condition the defense to bite on similar play-action shells, then hit PA Saints Sail later to exploit overaggressive linebacker run fits.

Other Plays in Wing Tight