Playbooks

Close PA Sail

Singleback·Wing·12
Play ActionSailPass PlayCover 2 BeaterCover 3 BeaterCornerDigHitchPost
Play diagram for Close PA Sail from Singleback Wing in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback
SetWing

In 8 playbooks

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Breakdown

Close PA Sail is a play-action pass out of Singleback Wing 12 personnel that opens with a run fake to hold the linebackers before the QB works a classic sail concept to the field side. The backside TE (yellow) runs a corner route breaking outside the numbers as the deep clear-out, while the slot TE (yellow) runs an out to the flat underneath it, creating a high-low stretch on the flat defender and deep zone corner. The play side has a vertical seam/streak from the inline TE (red) attacking the middle of the field, and the HB releases into a flat route (blue) off the fake for a checkdown or man beater versus linebackers. Primary progression starts with the vertical seam read against Cover 3 or Cover 2 shells, then works to the sail combo (corner over flat) if the safety rotates down, with the HB flat route as the outlet against blitz.

Defensive Reads

Watch the flat defender post snap. If he sinks with the corner route, the underneath out route from the slot TE will be wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Key the deep safety rotation. Cover 2 shells that roll a safety down into the box to stop the run fake will leave the corner route one on one deep, so track the cornerback's outside leverage. Against Cover 3, the middle linebacker or hook defender dropping late is the key indicator. If he sits shallow, the vertical seam route will sit in the soft spot behind him and in front of the safety. User linebackers spying the HB out of the backfield can jump the flat route, so be ready to look off the checkdown if you see a defender staying home instead of biting on the run fake. Disguised blitzes that bring extra rushers off the edge will collapse the pocket quickly, so recognize pre snap blitz indicators like walked up linebackers or safety creep to get the ball out fast on the flat or seam route.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or second and medium to keep the play fake honest and hold linebackers in the run fit before they can drop into their zones.

Identify the deep safety alignment pre snap. If you see two high safeties, the sail concept to the flat side is your bread and butter since the corner route will pull one safety and open the flat throw underneath.

If the defense shows single high or Cover 3, prioritize the vertical seam route from the inline TE since it will split the difference between the flanking hook zone defenders and the deep third safety.

Hot route the HB into a flat release or check him down as a blitz outlet if you see pressure showing pre snap, especially against nano blitz packages that overload the play action fake.

Pair this play with Close PA Cross or PA TE Flood from the same set to keep the defense guessing on the same personnel and formation look, forcing linebackers to respect both the crossing traffic and the sail stretch.

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