Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA WR In is a play-action shot play out of Strong I Z Close in 21 personnel that sells the run fake before attacking the middle and boundary of the field. Off the play-action, the backside receiver runs a deep in that sits down over the middle, the frontside runs a vertical seam/go that clears out the top, and the flat route underneath from the backfield gives the quarterback a checkdown option against a blitz. The primary read progression starts with the deep in over the middle, works to the vertical seam if the safety bites on the play fake, and comes back down to the flat route as the outlet against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebacker depth before the snap, if they are sitting shallow expecting run support they will get walled off by the play-action fake and open up the deep in route. Key the free safety in single high shells, if he steps up to help in the run fit the vertical seam route behind him is wide open for an explosive gain. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells, look for the flat defender to widen with the flat route, which creates a bigger throwing window for the deep in route settling behind him. Be wary of a user-controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle zone, since the deep in route crosses right into that area and can be jumped for a pick six if the quarterback stares it down. Man coverage beats this play worse than zone since the deep in route has no natural rub or pick, so if you see man alignment pre-snap consider hot routing the in route into a quicker slant or switching to a play with more natural separation.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) when you have already established the run game with HB Dive or Counter Weak so linebackers and safeties are more likely to bite on the fake. Check pre-snap for single high safety looks, that tells you the vertical seam route has a soft window to work with since only one deep defender has to cover two verticals. If you see two high safeties (shell coverage), prioritize the deep in route since it settles into the void between the underneath zone and the deep half defenders. Hot route the flat route into a quicker option or motion the backfield player before the snap to diagnose man versus zone based on defensive reaction. Pair this play with PA Sail or PA Cross in your call sheet to keep defenses guessing on which way the play-action bootleg or dropback breaks, since all three share the same run-fake footwork.
