Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
FL Cross is a Pistol Ace 12 personnel dropback pass that sends the flanker on a deep crossing route from one side of the field all the way to the opposite sideline, with the backside TE running a shallow drag underneath into the same crossing lane. The playside TE runs a corner route up the seam and outside, the slot receiver releases on a deep out breaking to the sideline, and the HB checks down on a flat route out of the backfield while the offensive line sets up in a standard dropback protection. This is a man beater at its core, using the deep cross to create natural rub traffic and separation against man defenders, though the layered depths (drag, cross, corner, out) also stress zone defenders who have to sort out multiple crossing patterns. The primary read progression starts with the deep cross working across the field, then works down to the shallow drag if the crosser is taken away, with the flat route to the HB as the checkdown outlet.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep safety alignment before the snap, since a two high shell signals Cover 2 or Cover 4 and the crossing routes will have to work underneath zone drops rather than beat deep coverage. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, because if the middle linebacker sits shallow and wide he is likely spying the crosser and will jump the route if the QB stares it down too long. If the corners are playing off man technique, expect the deep cross and corner route to have more initial separation, so squeeze the throwing window by getting the ball out on time. User the closest defender to the shallow drag route since that underneath crosser is the first checkdown and a well-timed user jump on that lane can bait the QB into a turnover. Watch for a nano blitz off the edge, since the dropback protection here can be vulnerable to an overload blitz if the HB releases immediately into his flat route instead of chipping first.
Usage Tips
Attack man coverage first since the deep cross and shallow drag both use natural traffic to shake defenders trailing in man technique.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high safety, because a single high shell means the corner route from the TE has a bigger window to work against Cover 3 or Cover 1.
If the defense shows a heavy blitz look with the box stacked, hot route the HB to stay in and help protect, or check to a quicker breaking play like Quick Slants to punish the blitz.
Use FL Cross on second or third and medium to long situations where you have time to let the deep cross develop and the QB can climb the pocket if the initial rush is picked up.
Pair this play with PA Boot or PA Deep In in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect both play-action boots and true dropback crossing concepts, keeping linebackers honest on their run fits.
