Playbooks

Orbit Cross Screen

Shotgun·Spread Y-Slot·11

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Orbit Cross Screen is a screen play out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot designed to get the running back the ball in space with blockers building a wall in front of him. The orbit motion pulls the back across the formation pre-snap to sell run action or jet motion, then he releases out to the flat behind a screen of linemen while the receivers run cross routes upfield to occupy underneath defenders and clear space. This is a screen play built to counter aggressive pass rushes and man coverage that bites on the crossing routes, with the primary read being the RB in the flat first, then working to the crossing receivers if the screen is diagnosed.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage teams that send extra rushers on blitz get gashed by this screen because the blockers have numbers on the perimeter Zone defenses with disciplined linebackers who stay home and read the screen action can blow this play up, look for linebackers sitting at their landmarks instead of flowing with the orbit motion If the user controls a linebacker and sits in a lurk position near the screen side, the RB has nowhere to go and the play collapses Watch cornerback depth on the crossing routes, press man corners can disrupt the timing of the crossers and force the quarterback to hold the ball too long Nano blitzes and interior pressure packages can be dangerous since a quick sack negates the blocking scheme before the screen develops

Usage Tips

Call this play on early downs or third and short when the defense shows blitz pressure pre-snap since screens punish overaggressive rushers

Watch the defensive line alignment before the snap, if you see stacked ends or a wide nine look, the screen has a much higher chance of springing free

Use the orbit motion to bait linebackers into flowing the wrong way, then release the RB immediately once the ball is snapped

Pair this with Orbit Fake Screen Wheel or Orbit PA Cross in your play-calling sequence so the defense cannot key on the orbit motion tendency

If the defense shows zone coverage with linebackers sitting in short drops, consider hot routing one crossing receiver deeper since the underestimating flat defender may abandon his zone to jump the screen

Other Plays in Spread Y-Slot