Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 13 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Cross is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Spread Y-Flex Wk that sells inside zone action before working a deep crosser from the backside receiver all the way across the field. The play design shows a vertical seam/go route from the inline receiver, a deep out breaking to the sideline from the slot, a corner route out of the backfield area, and the shallow drag from the far outside receiver working underneath through traffic. The primary read progression starts with the deep crossing route working from the fake, then bends to the seam vertical if the crosser is taken away, with the deep out and corner route serving as pressure relief valves against zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Key the linebackers at the snap since aggressive run blitzers will vacate the middle and open a lane for the deep crosser. Watch for a user lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle zone, as this is the primary threat to jump the crossing route before it clears traffic. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the shell this play punishes hardest, since the crosser and seam both create natural leverage against trailing defenders. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with safeties sitting deep can take away the seam route, forcing the quarterback to trust the crosser or check down to the out route. Look for corner blitzes or edge pressure off the play fake, since the protection is designed around run action and can be vulnerable to fast off-ball pressure if the fake does not hold defenders.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first or second and medium to keep the play fake honest against run-heavy defensive fronts.
Check the linebacker depth pre-snap: if they are sitting shallow to jump the run fake, the deep crosser should have room to work behind them.
Use the crosser as your first read against man coverage since the natural pick and traffic near the middle of the field creates separation versus trailing defenders.
Pair this with Inside Zone and RPO Zone Peek from the same set so the defense has to respect the run fake every time you come out in this personnel.
If the safeties show two high pre-snap, expect the deep out and corner routes to be the boundary stretch, so hot route the crosser to sit down if you see zone underneath sagging into its path.
