Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Cross Screen out of Shotgun Bunch Wide is a screen pass built off the bunch alignment to get a receiver the ball in space with blockers leading the way. At the snap the bunch receivers release with the outside man clearing vertically, the middle bunch receiver working a shallow drag across the formation, and the point man sitting down to set up as the screen target while linemen and the near receiver pull out in front to block. The X receiver on the backside runs an out and up to hold width and clear the corner, giving the offense a designed man and zone beater that manufactures yards after catch through blocking angles rather than a downfield route win. Primary read progression is quarterback to the screen receiver first, working through the blocking convoy, with the crosser and vertical releases serving as secondary options if the screen is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers crashing downhill immediately after the snap, since that flow is exactly what the screen blockers are designed to exploit. Man coverage with tight press on the bunch receivers is vulnerable because defenders trailing the crosser and screen man get picked off by blockers. Zone defenses that widen their linebackers to cover the flat can undercut the screen, so look for defenders sitting at the line of scrimmage rather than dropping deep. A user-controlled defender spying the quarterback or reading his eyes to the bunch side is the biggest threat, since he can jump the screen before blockers reach their landmarks. Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers reading run first tend to bite on the play fake action of the blocking scheme, opening up the screen lane before defenders recover.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or second and short when defenses are keying run out of bunch formations, since the alignment naturally disguises the screen look.
Check the box count before the snap. If linebackers are sitting tight to the line or blitzing off the edge, this play punishes them because the screen develops behind the rush.
Use hot routes to keep the backside X receiver on his out and up route rather than adjusting him, since he occupies the deep defender and prevents an easy jump on the screen.
Pair this with Inside Zone or Mtn Inside Zone Split from the same set to keep defenses honest against the run, then hit Cross Screen when linebackers start flowing hard to stop the zone.
Avoid calling this against aggressive user blitzers who key the backfield immediately, since a fast diagnosis from a spy or blitzing linebacker can blow up the screen before blockers get set.
