Playbooks
Breakdown
Shallow Cross out of Shotgun 5WR Flex Trey attacks the middle of the field with a deep-crossing shallow route that stretches from the right side all the way across the formation, paired with a deep dig breaking back to the opposite hash and a corner route from the inline slot. The backside X runs a deep in cutting behind the shallow, while the far outside receiver runs a deep comeback to hold the corner. This is a man beater built to create natural rub traffic against man coverage, with the shallow crosser dragging defenders into the dig runner's path, though the layered dig and comeback also give you answers against zone drops. Primary read starts with the shallow crosser working left to right, then progresses to the dig sitting down in the middle void before checking the comeback on the boundary.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow and flat footed he is likely spying the crosser, which tips you to attack the dig route instead. Watch the safety rotation post-snap, a single high safety rolling hard to the deep dig will leave the comeback route open on the boundary. Man coverage with linebackers trailing receivers across the field is where this play thrives because the shallow crosser naturally picks off man defenders in traffic. Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells with linebackers sinking into the underneath zones can take away the shallow crosser, so key on whether the flat defender squats or bails to determine if the comeback route on the sideline is the better answer. Blitz packages with a spy on the shallow crosser or a robber defender sitting in the intermediate middle can bait you into an easy checkdown, so recognize disguised zone blitzes before committing to the shallow read.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or third and medium when you expect man coverage, since the shallow crosser creates natural rub traffic that separates receivers from man defenders trailing across the field.
Pre-snap, check for a single high safety look, because the dig route sitting down behind linebackers is money against single high man or Cover 3 rotations.
If you see two deep safeties and press corners, hot route the shallow crosser to speed up his release so he can clear the underneath traffic before the rub happens.
Pair this play with Middle Slant or Packer Cross earlier in a series so defenders start jumping the shallow route, then hit the dig route behind them for a explosive play once they overcommit.
Against aggressive user linebackers who sit on the shallow crosser, immediately climb your progression to the dig route since that void opens up the instant the shallow gets jumped.
