Playbooks
Breakdown
Crosser PoCo aligns from Bunch TE and sends the bunch receivers on a layered crossing concept while the backside receiver runs a deep post corner. The bunch produces a shallow drag underneath, a deep crosser sitting behind it, and a vertical seam route stacking the coverage, while the HB releases to the flat as a check down and the offensive line sets for a standard pass protection. This is a man beater built to exploit natural picks and rubs from the bunch alignment, with the primary read starting on the post corner against single high safety looks before working down to the deep crosser and settling on the flat if the underneath windows are late to open.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment since it tells you whether the post corner or the crosser will be the more open window. Watch linebacker depth and spacing near the bunch since tight linebackers signal man coverage and wider drops signal zone drops that can wall off the crosser. Post-snap, track the corner over the post corner route to see if he sinks deep or jumps the underneath crosser, which reveals a Cover 3 or Cover 4 shell. Look for user controlled defenders spying the deep crosser or lurking in the shallow zone since a sit and wait linebacker can jump the crossing route for a big hit or pick. This play struggles against disciplined zone coverages with deep half safeties who can rob the post corner, so if the safety is sitting deep with outside leverage, look to the flat or crosser instead.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like tight bump alignment on the bunch receivers since the natural rubs from the crossing routes create instant separation against man defenders.
If you see single high safety shells, take the shot to the post corner route immediately off the snap since it is designed to split the safety and the corner over the top.
Against zone shells, work the deep crosser as your primary since it settles into the void between the flat defender and the deep zone dropper.
Use the HB flat route as your checkdown versus pressure or when the deep routes are covered, especially on third and short to keep the chains moving.
Pair this play with Mesh or Inside Cross from the same set to stress defenders with similar crossing looks before hitting them with the deeper post corner shot as a changeup.
