Playbooks
Breakdown
Post Cross out of Shotgun Empty Chips is a five-wide passing concept built to attack the middle of the field with two crossing routes stacked over a deep post. The two receivers to the right run a dig-to-cross combo that settle into the same horizontal plane, while the far left receiver runs a vertical post to stretch the safety, and the outside receivers on the boundary run go routes to hold the corners deep. There is no run action or play-action here since it is an Empty backfield, so this is a pure dropback passing concept and a strong man beater against man coverage due to the natural rub and separation created by the crossers, while also working as a zone beater versus Cover 3 by settling the crossers in the voids between linebacker levels. The primary read progression starts with the deep post to see if the safety bites, then works down to the near crosser, and finally to the far crosher underneath if the middle is congested.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment since a single high safety who is shaded toward the crossers side leaves the post route open on the backside. Watch for corners playing outside leverage on the boundary receivers, which signals man coverage and tells you the crossers will get a natural rub against man defenders trailing across the field. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker drop since a fast drop into the shallow crossing lane can jump the underneath route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares it down too long. This concept struggles against a robber or lurk defender sitting in the intermediate middle zone, since that defender can undercut both crossers and force the quarterback to hold the ball. Cover 2 with aggressive flat defenders can disrupt the crossers early, but leaves the post vulnerable if the safeties do not rotate quickly enough to double the deep middle.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense shows a single high safety or two deep safeties, since the post route is designed to work behind a Cover 3 rotation or attack a Cover 1 safety who steps up to cheat run support.
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, take the post route immediately off the snap since the crossers create natural traffic that slows man defenders.
Against zone coverage, let the crossers work through their route and hit the first one that settles into a soft spot between the underneath zone and the deep zone, usually right after the linebacker level clears.
Use hot routes to convert the near crosser into a shallow drag if you are facing a heavy blitz look, giving your quarterback a quick outlet before pressure arrives.
Pair this play with Slot Sail or Curl Flat in your play-calling sequence to keep the defense guessing between high-low reads and horizontal stretch concepts, then come back to Post Cross once they start jumping the shorter routes.
