Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Post Shot from Strong I Slot Flex is a play-action shot play built off a run fake to sell the box before attacking downfield. The diagram shows three vertical stems: the outside receiver runs a deep post breaking across the middle of the field, while both the slot receiver and the backside X run vertical routes that bend outward toward the sideline. This is a man beater designed to isolate the post route against a single high safety, with the deep outs on both sides clearing space and forcing defenders to declare early. Primary read progression starts with the post route, then works to the outside vertical breakers if the post is capped by the deep safety.
Defensive Reads
Check safety depth before the snap, a single high safety cheating toward the numbers signals man coverage and tells you the post has a clean throwing lane. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard on the run fake the middle of the field opens up for the post route immediately. Beware Cover 3 sky or cloud variations where a safety rotates down to help underneath, this can clog the post and force a checkdown to the outside vertical routes. User-controlled defenders lurking in the deep middle are the biggest threat to this play, if you see a defender sitting at the second level reading the quarterback's eyes, hold the ball and reset your progression to the far sideline route. Disguised zone blitzes that show two deep safeties then rotate one down post-snap can bait a bad throw, so confirm coverage rotation before committing to the post read.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3 before the snap since the post route thrives when there is only one defender patrolling the deep middle.
Sell the play fake by holding the ball on the run action for a full beat, this freezes linebackers and opens the post window against zone drops.
If you see two deep safeties pre-snap, consider hot routing the post into a deeper crosser or bail to the outside vertical breakers since Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells crowd the post lane.
Use this shot play on early downs like first and ten or second and short when defenses expect run action from Strong I personnel.
Pair this with HB Dive and Power O earlier in a series so the defense bites on run fits, then dial up PA Post Shot to punish aggressive linebacker flow with the post route sitting behind them.
