Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 16 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Slide from the Strong I Wing set opens with a play-action fake to sell the run and hold the linebackers, then rolls the pocket protection to the strong side while three receivers work a full-field slide progression. The backside X runs a deep drag across the formation as a checkdown, the two strong side receivers cross the field on a deep out and a shallow crosser breaking the same direction, and the flanker on the numbers pushes vertical up the sideline. This is a play-action based zone beater that stresses horizontal zone drops with the two-level crossing routes while giving the QB a simple high-low read against man coverage on the drag underneath.
Defensive Reads
Check the linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake the slide concept behind them will be wide open against base Cover 3 or Cover 1. Identify the flow of the strong side safety, if he rotates down to help in the box that leaves the deep out and vertical route on an island against a single high safety. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow zone or spying the drag route, that is the biggest threat to the underneath crosser and forces the QB to climb the progression to the deep out. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the flanker's vertical release, so trust that route on any Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitz look. Zone blitzes that bring five rushers while dropping a linebacker into the shallow hole can disrupt the timing of the play-action fake, so recognize the extra rusher pre-snap and be ready to throw off script quickly.
Usage Tips
Look for two safeties pre-snap since Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells struggle to cover the full-field slide concept once the crossers clear the hash.
Use the play-action fake early in your play-calling sequence right after running Mtn Power O or Inside Zone Wk from the same Wing formation so linebackers bite on the run action.
Hot route the backside drag into a deeper dig if you see Cover 3 sink underneath, since the shallow crosser will run into a robber defender in that shell.
On third and medium, prioritize the deep out from the strong side receiver since it settles just past the sticks against zone drops.
Pair this with PA Sprint HB Flat as a companion call so defenses cannot key on formation tendencies out of Strong I Wing.
