Playbooks

X Cross

Shotgun·Empty Chips Nasty·11

Crosser Pass Play Deep Cross Streak

Play diagram for X Cross from Shotgun Empty Chips Nasty in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetEmpty Chips Nasty

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 8 playbooks

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Breakdown

X Cross is an Empty formation dropback pass out of Shotgun Empty Chips Nasty, using all five eligible receivers in routes with no running back to protect. The concept is anchored by a deep crosser coming from the backside that works flat across the field underneath a corner route breaking outside, while the two outside receivers on the play side run vertical stretches (a deep vertical and a go route) to hold the corners and safeties deep. With no blocking help and five options out, this is primarily a man beater, since the crosser and dig-style breaks create natural separation against trailing defenders, though it can also stress zone defenses that fail to pass off crossing traffic. The primary read progression starts with the shallow crosser working left to right, then bumps to the corner breaking route if the crosser is taken away, and finally to the vertical shots on the outside if the underneath routes are jumped.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, check for single high safety looks since one deep defender struggles to cover both the vertical routes and the deep crosser working across the field. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, because shallow linebackers who bite on the crosser immediately open the window for the corner breaking route behind them. This play is vulnerable to disguised zone blitzes since there is no running back or extra blocker to pick up pressure, so identify pre-snap if the defense is showing five or six man rush looks. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender can undercut the crosser, so key the flat defender's leverage before committing to that read. Man coverage with underneath help, like Cover 1 with a robber, is the toughest shell for this concept since the rat defender can sit in the crosser's path and bait a turnover.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking corner depth and linebacker alignment over the slot receivers since Empty formations force defenses to declare coverage responsibilities.

Use the crosser as your first read against man coverage because the natural rub and horizontal movement creates instant separation from trailing defenders.

Against zone shells, look to the corner breaking route sitting behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties, since this is the primary zone beater window.

Hot route the outside vertical routes into deep comebacks or stop routes on third and short to give yourself a quicker underneath option if the deep crosser is jumped by a lurking linebacker.

Pair this play with Dagger or Post Cross in the same set to keep defenses guessing between deep crossing concepts and stretch verticals, forcing coverage rotation issues over the course of a game plan.