Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Shallow Cross out of Near Close Flex (21 personnel) sends the backside receiver on a deep shallow drag all the way across the formation while the inline tag runs a deep dig underneath the two vertical routes releasing from the strong side, one working a corner route to the boundary and the other a deep out breaking to the sideline. The backfield stays in to pass protect, giving the quarterback a clean pocket to read the crossers develop underneath the two stretching vertical routes. This is a man beater built around natural pick action from the shallow drag and dig combo, with the primary read starting on the shallow cross, progressing to the deep dig, and working outward to the corner and out routes if the underneath crossers get taken away.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap since Cover 3 and Cover 1 leave natural window for the shallow drag to sit behind the linebacker level. Watch the flat defender at the snap because if he widens with the corner route, the shallow drag has a clean throwing lane underneath him. Key the middle linebacker depth and drop, a shallow drop from a Mike linebacker can undercut the dig route and bait a turnover. Beware Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties, the corner and out routes into the sideline can be squeezed by underneath zone defenders sitting on the crossers. Look for user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow crossing lane, a spy or rat in the hole can jump the shallow route timing and blow up the primary read.
Usage Tips
Check the middle of the field pre-snap because this concept thrives against single high shells where the shallow and dig can settle into soft zones behind the linebackers.
Against man coverage, motion the shallow route receiver to confirm man responsibility and manufacture natural traffic against trailing defenders on the drag route.
Hot route the shallow drag to sit down in a zone window versus Cover 2 or Cover 4 if the flat defender carries it too far upfield.
Use this on second and medium or third and medium since the dig and shallow combo needs time to develop but rewards patience with a high percentage completion.
Pair this with FB Dive or HB Inside from the same set to keep linebackers honest, then come back to Shallow Cross once they start cheating up on early down runs.
