Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Double Cross is a five man route concept out of Shotgun 11 personnel that stacks two crossing routes underneath a pair of vertical clear outs. The outside receivers on both sides run go routes up the numbers to occupy deep coverage, while the TE and slot receiver run crossing routes over the middle at different depths, with the shallow crosser breaking under the deeper one to create natural rub separation. The RB runs a check release swing to the flat as a safety valve. This is a man beater built to exploit man coverage with the two crossers working through traffic, and the primary read progression starts with the deep crosser working from the boundary side across the field, then works down to the shallow crosser underneath, and finishes with the RB in the flat.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment, single high often means man coverage underneath which is where this play hurts you most. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the middle linebacker sits shallow he can undercut the low crossing route and take away the first read. User the deep crosser with your best man cover linebacker or a rover safety to disrupt the rub and force the quarterback to hold the ball longer. Zone shells with a robber sitting in the middle of the field take away both crossers and force the quarterback to check down to the RB in the flat. Watch for a delayed blitz off the edge since the RB check release can be beaten by an overload look if the offensive line has to account for extra rushers.
Usage Tips
Use this on second or third and medium when you expect man coverage because the crossing traffic creates natural picks against man defenders trailing underneath.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep the vertical routes will hold them and open up a big throwing window for the shallow crosser.
Hot route the outside go routes into deep comebacks if you diagnose a soft zone shell, since the verticals alone will not beat off coverage without an adjustment.
Pair this with Double Slants or Quick Slants earlier in a series so defenders start jumping underneath routes, then hit Double Cross to gash them with the deeper crossing route once they overcommit.
Look to throw the shallow crosser quickly against blitz looks since the RB check release and shallow route combo gives you a fast answer versus pressure.
