Playbooks
Breakdown
Inside Cross from Pistol Trips 11 personnel aligns three receivers to the same side with a lone receiver backside. The backside X runs a deep vertical to stretch the safety, the two inside trips receivers run a corner route and a shallow drive (the red crosser) that sits underneath, while the outside trips receiver runs a flat route to hold the flat defender. This is a man beater built around the crossing route creating natural rub traffic, with the primary read starting on the shallow crosser working across the formation before progressing to the corner route if the crosser is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow to spy the crosser you need to layer your throw or check to the corner route instead. Identify single high safety shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3, this play excels against man leverage since the crosser creates natural separation off traffic. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow zone (a lurk defender), this is the biggest threat to the crossing route and will bait bad throws. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells the corner route becomes the better answer since the crosser runs into extra underneath zone defenders. Key the flat defender pre-snap, if he widens too far with the flat route the shallow crosser has a clean throwing lane behind him.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or third and medium when you expect man coverage since the shallow crosser thrives against man leverage and rub traffic. Check the pre-snap alignment for a single high safety, if you see two deep safeties consider hot routing the crosser to a deeper drag to clear the underneath zone defenders. Pair Inside Cross with Slants or Stick from the same set so the defense has to respect the quick game before you hit them with the developing crosser. Against aggressive user blitzers, use the flat route as a built in hot read since it releases quickly and beats blitz pressure. Sequence this play after HB Dive or HB Slip Screen to bait linebackers into downhill run fits, opening up the crosser behind them.
