Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Flood out of Slot Close (Weak I, 21 personnel) sells the play-action fake to the backfield before flooding one side of the field with three levels of routes stacked on top of each other. The outside receiver clears vertically up the sideline, the inline TE runs a deep out that settles behind the linebackers, and the flanker sprints an out route underneath from the slot to sit at the sticks, while the backside X receiver runs a deep crossing route away from the flood as a hot read against man pressure. This is a classic Cover 3 beater built to overload the flat to deep third defender, with the primary read progressing from the deep sideline shot down to the intermediate out and finally the flat route underneath.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flood side deep third defender before the snap, if he shows soft outside leverage the vertical route will beat him over the top. Key the flow of the linebackers after the play fake, if they bite hard on the run action the deep out will be wide open behind them. Identify any user lurk defender sitting in the shallow to intermediate zone on the flood side, he can jump the deep out and force you to the flat. Man coverage on the backside crosser is vulnerable to a rub or natural pick from the formation, so watch for a linebacker or safety trailing late. Cover 3 with a fast flowing strong safety to the flood side is the toughest matchup, since he can rob the deep out while the corner plays the vertical.
Usage Tips
Check the deep half or deep third pre snap because this concept is designed to stress a single flood side defender in Cover 3 and quarters shells.
If the corner sinks with the vertical route, work down to the deep out for the easy completion in front of the sinking safety.
Use the backside crossing route as your answer versus man coverage or when the flood side gets jumped by an underneath defender.
Pair this with PA Boot Slide in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect both flood concepts and roll away from your run action.
Run this on early downs or second and medium when you want a play-action shot without abandoning run tendencies, since it comes out of a run heavy Weak I look.
