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Breakdown
Mtn PA Slide is a play-action pass out of Strong I with 21 personnel that shows two vertical stems and one shallow crossing route underneath. Off the play fake, both outside receivers push straight upfield before breaking away from the hash into corner/comeback style routes at the top of the route stem, while the slot man motions across the formation on a slide route that drags flat across the line from the strongside to weakside flat. The TE releases up the seam as a middle read against linebackers who bite on the run fake. Primary progression starts with the seam/vertical read off play action, then works to the slide route working across the field as the outlet against zone defenders who sink underneath the verticals.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker and strong safety at the snap, since aggressive run fits toward the fake open up the slide route and both vertical routes behind them. Watch for a user linebacker sitting in the shallow crossing lane, since a lurking defender on the slide route forces the quarterback to hold the ball and climb the progression to the comeback routes outside. Cover 3 with a hard sinking cornerback jumps the outside comeback route, so identify press corners with deep help before locking onto that read. Man coverage with the slide receiver's defender trailing tight across the motion signals a rub or pick opportunity as the slide crosses the formation, creating natural separation. Blitz-heavy fronts that crash hard on the run fake are exactly what this play is designed to exploit, but disciplined defenses that spy the play fake and stay home in zone drops will take away both the seam and the slide underneath.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion on the slide receiver to identify man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following the motion across the formation confirms man coverage. Attack single-high safety shells with the deep comeback routes on the perimeter since the play fake holds the strong safety and linebackers, opening throwing lanes underneath the top of the route. Hot route the slide receiver into a quicker option against Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells that sit two deep, since the underneath crosser sits in the soft spot behind the linebackers and in front of the corners. Pair this play with Mtn Stretch or HB Stretch earlier in a drive so the run fake carries more weight and linebackers step up harder on the play action mesh point. Best called on second or third and short to medium since the run action needs a credible run threat down and distance to freeze the front seven and safeties.
