Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Deep Cross runs a play action fake out of Pistol 12 personnel, holding the linebackers for a beat before releasing a deep crossing route that stretches from one side of the formation all the way across the field. The backside TE runs a deep vertical to hold the safety while the outside receiver runs a shallow drag underneath the cross for a quick checkdown, and the third receiver on the right runs a corner style out route to occupy the flat defender. Blocking is a standard play action set with the line selling run and the RB staying in to help protect, making this a zone beater designed to exploit soft spots created by linebacker flow and safety rotation, with the primary read progression going deep cross first, then check down to the shallow drag if the cross is not open.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap identify single high versus two high safety shells, since one high look with man coverage underneath is where this play hits hardest. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard on the run fake the middle of the field opens up for the deep cross to work freely. Key the flat defender on the corner route side, if he sinks too deep the shallow drag becomes an easy checkdown against soft zone coverage. Cover 3 with a hard sitting middle linebacker or a rat in the deep middle can undercut the cross route and turn it into a turnover opportunity for the defense. User controlled defenders should stay disciplined off the play fake and get depth quickly to jump the deep cross before it fully develops across the field.
Usage Tips
Sell the run fake by holding the RB action pre snap and diagnosing linebacker depth, since aggressive run fits will bite hard and open a lane for the deep cross to work behind them.
Use this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and medium so the run action is believable and defenders respect the play fake instead of sitting back in coverage.
Hot route the flat runner into a shorter option if you see Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells, since the deep cross can get squeezed by a deep half safety sitting on top.
Pair this with HB Dive or HB Zone Wk earlier in a series to condition the defense into biting on run fakes, then punish that tendency with this deep cross shot play.
Against man coverage look to the deep cross immediately since it creates natural rub traffic and separation against man defenders trailing across the field.
