Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA X Whip Crosser is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Bunch Offset Close that hides a deep crossing route behind run action. From the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a whip route that snaps back inside, the middle bunch receiver works a deep crosser all the way across the field, and the inside bunch receiver releases vertically up the seam before bending across the field behind him. The backside X receiver runs a comeback breaking back to the sideline for a quick outlet against off coverage. The primary read starts with the whip route for a quick man beater sneak, then progresses to the deep crosser working across the field as the shot play if the play-action freezes linebackers.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap, that tells you the offense is baiting a run fake to set up the deep crosser behind linebackers User the middle linebacker and stay disciplined on the play-action fake so the crosser does not have a free lane across the field If cornerbacks are playing off coverage, they can sit on the whip route and jump the quick break, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer Zone drops that keep linebackers in their run fits will clog the crossing route and force the quarterback to check down to the comeback route Man coverage on the outside receiver with no help over the top is vulnerable to the whip route creating instant separation, look to jump the route with a user defender if you can bait the throw
Usage Tips
Check the play-action fake first, if linebackers bite hard on the run fake the deep crosser will have a huge throwing window across the middle
Use this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short so linebackers respect the run action and bite on the fake
Hot route the backside X comeback into a deep out or corner route if you see single high safety cheating toward the bunch side
The whip route is your answer against man coverage, it creates immediate separation off the line against press or bump corners
Pair this with Duo or Read Option from the same set so defenders keep sitting on the run and you can hit the crosser with more room later in the series
If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, lean toward the whip route for a quicker, safer completion instead of forcing the deep crosser
