Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Power O out of Strong I Pro (21 personnel) sells the Power O run action to the strong side before the QB pulls to pass, giving this concept a genuine play-action pass identity built off a heavy run tendency. Off the fake, the play shows a four man route combo: the backside X runs a deep out/comeback breaking route from the numbers, the inline TE releases vertical up the seam, the flanker Z stacks a wheel/go route up the sideline behind him, and the outlet X to the boundary runs a short drag/flat route underneath as the checkdown. The primary progression starts with the seam TE against man coverage, works to the deep wheel route if the safety bites on the run fake, and comes down to the flat route as the built-in answer versus zone drops or when the pocket collapses.
Defensive Reads
Read the flow of the linebackers at the snap. If they step up hard to fill run gaps on the Power O fake, the seam and wheel routes will be open behind them. Key the strong safety alignment before the snap. A safety cheating into the box or showing run support is the biggest tell that this play action shot can hit deep. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells post-snap by watching the corner over the wheel route. If he sinks deep with outside leverage, look to the seam TE or check down to the flat instead of forcing the wheel. Beware disciplined defenses that spy the play action with a linebacker or user a lurking defender in the intermediate seam, since that defender can jump the TE route and blow up the primary read. Cover 0 and all out blitz packages can be an issue if the protection breaks down, so recognize pressure pre-snap by counting box defenders and be ready to get the ball out fast to the flat route or scramble off the play fake.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short to medium) when your run tendency with Power O is established so linebackers and safeties respect the play fake.
Watch the strong safety pre-snap. If he is stacked in the box near the strength, that is your green light since the run action will hold him for a beat and open the seam and wheel routes behind him.
Use the flat route as your dump-off answer versus Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells where the corner sinks and the safety stays deep, since the underneath route will be uncovered against zone drops.
Hot route the seam TE into a quick out if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, turning this into a quick strike man beater against Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitzes.
Pair this with actual Power O and HB Dive from the same formation earlier in a series so the defense keys run action, then hit this play action shot when linebackers start sitting on the run fake.
