Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Inside Cross out of Pro Far with 21 personnel sends the two outside receivers vertical, with the left X running a deep dig that stems upfield before breaking hard across the middle, and the right receiver climbing to a corner route toward the sideline. The slot man to the right runs a crossing pattern underneath the dig, and the backfield player releases into a quick out on the left flank as a checkdown or man beater against a blitzing linebacker. This is a pass play designed to beat man coverage by stacking horizontal and vertical crossers that create natural rub picks, with the primary read starting on the deep dig working left to right into the crosser and finally the flat route if the underneath window is closed.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap since a shallow drop signals he will jump the crossing route and take away your first read. Watch the corner on the dig route side, if he stays outside and does not carry the receiver across the field it usually means you are facing a zone shell that funnels the throw to the sideline. Identify any user controlled safety lurking over the middle, that defender is the biggest threat to jump the dig or crosser combo and turn it into a pick six. Check for man coverage indicators like corners turning their hips early, this play punishes man to man because the crossing routes create natural separation through traffic. If the defense shows a two high shell but rotates one safety down after the snap, expect the flat route or crosser to be the only clean releases before the coverage settles.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, look for single high safety looks or man coverage indicators like corners aligned tight to the line since the dig and crosser combo thrives when defenders are forced to trail receivers through traffic.
Hot route the flat receiver into a quick out or speed out if you see the defense showing blitz, giving yourself a rhythm throw before the dig fully develops.
Use this play on second and long or third and medium situations where the deep dig can settle into the void between linebackers and safeties for a chunk gain.
Pair this call with Y Post or Y Fost from the same formation to keep defenses honest on the vertical shots, then come back to Inside Cross once the safety starts cheating toward the deep routes.
Against zone heavy opponents, hold the ball an extra beat and let the crosser work into the vacated middle zone before the safety can rotate over.
