Playbooks

RZ Mtn PA Crossers

Pistol·Strong·21
Play ActionCrosserMotionPass Play
Play diagram for RZ Mtn PA Crossers from Pistol Strong in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

RZ Mtn PA Crossers is a play-action pass out of Pistol Strong with 21 personnel that is built to attack man and zone coverage in the red zone with a heavy dose of crossing routes. Off the run fake, the two crossers (red and yellow) work opposite directions at different depths while the light blue route underneath sits flat to the boundary and the dark blue route works a shallow drag toward the numbers. The primary read is the deep crosser (yellow) attacking the far hash first, working back to the shallow crosser (red) sitting underneath if the linebackers widen, then checking down to the flat and drag routes if both crossers are covered.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage defenders trailing the crossers will get picked off by the natural traffic near the formation, so this beats Cover 1 and Cover 0 blitz packages consistently. Watch for a linebacker sitting in a hook zone or spy alignment presnap, since that defender can undercut the shallow crosser if he reads the play-action quickly. Zone drops from Cover 3 or Cover 4 can be attacked if the corner and safety on the crosser side widen out, opening a window for the deep crosser to sit down in the middle of the field. If the user jumps the flat route with a linebacker or nickel defender, come back immediately to the drag route working across the field since that defender has vacated his zone. Watch for a delayed blitz off the edge, since the play-action fake can leave the tackle vulnerable if the defense brings extra rushers after the snap.

Usage Tips

Use this play in the red zone on early downs when you want to attack man coverage with natural rub picks from the crossing routes.

Check pre-snap for single high safety looks since the deep crosser has room to work against Cover 1 or Cover 3 shells.

If the defense shows Cover 2 or Cover 4 with two deep safeties, hot route the shallow crosser into a sit route to settle in the soft spot between the linebackers.

Pair this play with HB Power or HB Off Tackle from the same Strong Pistol set so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers and freezes the second level.

Sell the play fake with the RB and use the pump user or manual throw button to freeze underneath zone defenders before releasing the deep crosser.

Other Plays in Strong