Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Y Cross runs a play-action fake out of Shotgun Doubles Y Off Nasty, holding the linebackers with a run fake before the QB works the pass concept. The Y (TE) runs the deep crosser from the strong side all the way across the field, working behind the shallow drag from the backside receiver and in front of the deep comeback from the outside receiver. The near side receiver runs a short out to the flat while the running back checks release into a flat route, giving the QB a full-field progression from the deep crosser down to the underneath flat option. This is a man beater built to spring the Y Cross wide open against linebackers who bite on the run fake or get picked off by the shallow drag, and it also has zone-beating value if the QB reads the crosser sitting down in a hole between levels.
Defensive Reads
Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like press corners and linebackers shaded toward the strong side, since the deep crosser and shallow drag combo is designed to rub off man defenders. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow to jump the drag route the crosser behind him becomes wide open. Identify single high safety shells (Cover 1 or Cover 3) as prime targets since the crosser can split the difference between the deep safety and underneath zone defenders. Beware user-controlled Mike linebackers who spy the play-action fake and sink into the crosser lane, this can bait a bad throw into a lurking defender. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with disciplined zone drops can shut this down if the flat defender sinks and the deep half safety stays over the top of the crosser.
Usage Tips
Sell the run fake with a slight pump on the joystick to freeze linebackers before working your crosser read.
Use this on early downs like first or second and short to mid distance so the play-action fake actually influences run blitz alignments.
If you see man coverage with linebackers walked up, hot route the outside comeback into a deep dig to stack traffic on top of the crosser and force a pick.
Pair this with Inside Zone or Zone Fake Jet earlier in a drive so the defense respects the run action and bites harder on the fake here.
Against zone shells, throw the crosser on time as it crosses the opposite hash, do not wait for it to sit down or a zone defender will undercut it.
