Playbooks

X 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

X Shallow Cross out of Shotgun Spread with 10 personnel is a classic man beating shallow drag concept built to attack the middle of the field on underneath crossers. The X receiver runs a shallow crosser underneath while other routes flood the zone with a dig or corner breaking behind it, creating a natural pick action against man coverage and a easy check down against soft zone drops. The primary read progression starts with the shallow drag from the backside, then works to the intermediate crosser or dig, and finishes with the checkdown to the back or slot underneath if both are covered.

Defensive Reads

Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow to jump the drag route immediately bail to your checkdown or the deeper crossing route instead. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow crosser lane, since good defenders will sit and wait to jump this exact route, if you see him crash down move to your second read fast. Check for man coverage indicators pre-snap such as corners aligned tight to receivers with no safety help underneath, this is when the shallow cross concept thrives the most. Cover 3 zone with an aggressive underneath robber can shut this play down quickly, if the defense shows this shell before the snap consider using your hot route to convert the shallow into a deeper option. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge often leave the shallow crosser wide open since it clears fast, if you see a nano blitz alignment pre-snap get the ball out on your first read without hesitation.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a hot route on the X to adjust his shallow depth if the defense shows a hard press look, since it changes his rub timing against man coverage.

Identify coverage shell before the snap by reading safety depth, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play works as a zone beater underneath since the shallow sits below the linebacker curl drops.

Against man coverage, trust the shallow crosser to create natural separation off the traffic in the middle of the field, this is one of the best man beaters in the Spread set for that reason.

Pair this play with Y Shallow Cross or H Shallow Cross on back to back snaps to keep the defense guessing on which receiver is running the shallow drag, this disguises your primary read and creates confusion for user linebackers spying the crosser.

Use this on third and short to medium situations where the shallow crosser can pick up the sticks quickly, and pair it with Curl Flats or Quick Slants earlier in a drive to set up the defense expecting quick game before hitting the deeper crossing route.

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