Playbooks

PA Cross

Shotgun·Doubles HB Wk·11

Play Action Pass Play Crosser

Play diagram for PA Cross from Shotgun Doubles HB Wk in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetDoubles HB Wk

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

PA Cross is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Doubles HB Wk that uses a fake handoff to freeze the front seven before the QB works a full field crossing concept. The backside receiver runs a deep crosser all the way across the field while the slot receiver underneath sits down on a shallow drag heading the opposite direction, and the play side receiver runs a corner route stretching the deep third. The HB fakes the run action and leaks out to the flat as the checkdown against the play action fake. Primary read progression starts with the deep crosser working across the field, then works down to the underneath drag, with the HB flat route as the built in checkdown against blitz pressure.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage with tight press corners struggles against the deep crosser since the natural rub and traffic near the formation creates instant separation. Cover 3 zone shells are vulnerable because the deep crosser sits in the void between the deep third defenders while the drag occupies the underneath zone defender. Watch for a linebacker sitting in a hook zone or spying the crosser lane, since a disciplined user linebacker can jump the underneath drag or lurk the crossing route for a big hit. Cover 2 with two deep safeties can squeeze the deep crosser if the safety reads play action quickly and flows over the top, so be ready to check down to the HB in the flat. Blitz heavy fronts that sell out on the run fake will get gashed by the HB leak route if the QB recognizes the pressure and gets the ball out fast before the pocket collapses.

Usage Tips

Use this on early downs or second and medium when defenses are keying on run action out of Doubles HB Wk since the play action freeze is most effective against aggressive run fits.

Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the deep crosser side, work the underneath drag and HB flat quickly instead of forcing the deep shot.

Hot route the HB to release immediately into the flat if you anticipate pressure, since the play action fake can bring extra rushers and you need a quick outlet.

Pair this with Y Cross or Double Cross from the same set to keep defenders guessing on crossing route direction, forcing linebackers to widen their run reads on every snap.

Against man coverage, trust the deep crosser to create natural separation off the traffic near the middle of the field, and drag your eyes with the receiver rather than staring him down to avoid tipping off user linebackers.