Playbooks

H Shallow Cross

Shotgun·Spread·10
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffense

Breakdown

H Shallow Cross out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel is a classic man beating shallow drag concept built around the H back running a shallow crosser underneath deep clear-out routes. The concept typically pairs a dig or deep out on one side with a streak or corner route to hold the safety, while the shallow cross drags all the way across the field to create natural rub and separation against man coverage. The primary read progression starts with the shallow cross underneath, then works to the deeper intermediate route on the backside if the shallow is taken away or if a linebacker sits in the throwing lane.

Defensive Reads

Key the underneath linebackers immediately after the snap, since a fast flow to the shallow cross means you need to check the deeper route or drag the receiver into open grass behind the linebacker level. Watch for a user controlled defender spying the shallow zone or sitting in a lurk technique, which is the primary way this concept gets shut down since it removes the easy underneath window. Read the safety alignment pre-snap, since two deep safeties in Cover 2 or Cover 4 will squeeze the vertical routes and force you to rely entirely on the shallow cross and any checkdown option. Identify press man coverage on the outside receivers before the snap, since press corners can disrupt the timing of the deep clear-out routes and collapse the passing window for the shallow cross. Watch for blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge, since the shallow cross needs time to develop and a fast interior pressure will force an early checkdown or a sack if protection breaks down.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion on the H back to confirm man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following the motion man signals man coverage and tells you the shallow cross will have room to work.

This play punishes Cover 1 and Cover 3 with aggressive underneath linebacker drops, since the shallow cross clears through the shallow zone before the linebackers can wall it off.

Hot route the backside receiver into a shorter option like a slant or drag if you are facing a heavy blitz look, since the shallow cross takes a few seconds to develop and needs pass protection to hold up.

Call this on second and medium or third and short situations where the underneath window is the target, then pair it later in a series with Y Cross or Z Shallow Cross to keep the defense guessing on which receiver is running the drag.

Combine with Four Verticals or Smash Y Post earlier in a drive so the defense respects the vertical shots, which opens up the shallow cross underneath once safeties start cheating deep.

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