Playbooks

Y Cross(1)

Shotgun·Spread·10
CrosserY CrossPass Play

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

Air Raid Classic OffenseOffenseRedskins OffenseOffenseNFL Live Redskins OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Y Cross(1) out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel is a classic man beater built around the tight end or slot Y receiver working a deep dig across the middle of the field. The route combo pairs the crossing route with shallow drag and corner or flat routes from the outside receivers to stretch the defense both horizontally and vertically, forcing linebackers to choose between the crosser and any underneath traffic. Primary read progression starts with the Y crosser working across the field, then works down to the shallow drag or check option underneath if the linebackers sink deep enough to take away the intermediate window.

Defensive Reads

Check the middle of the field pre-snap, a single high safety alignment tells you the crosser has a big throwing window against man or zone. Watch the Mike linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks into the hook zone quickly he can undercut the crossing route, so be ready to check down to the drag or flat option. Identify any user controlled defender sitting in the shallow crosser lane, that lurk threat is the biggest danger to this concept and usually signals a zone drop designed to bait the throw. Cover 3 with aggressive underneath zone drops and Tampa 2 shells with rangy linebackers are the toughest matchups for this play, since the crosser has to fight through traffic the whole route. Man coverage without safety help over the top or blitz packages that vacate the middle of the field are where this play hits hardest, since the crosser will separate from man defenders working through the picture.

Usage Tips

Attack single high safety looks since the Y crosser has room to work across the middle before the free safety can rotate over the top.

Use pre-snap motion or a hot route to release the shallow drag earlier if you see man coverage with no underneath help, this gives you a built in rhythm throw against blitz.

Hold the ball a beat longer against zone shells and let the crosser clear the hook zone linebackers before pulling the trigger, throwing too early into a Tampa 2 or Mable shell invites a lurking linebacker to jump the route.

Pair this play with Y Stick or Curl Flats on early downs to condition the defense to sit on shorter combos, then hit Y Cross(1) on second or third down when they bite on quick game.

Best deployed on second and medium or third and long where the defense is more likely to sit in zone drops instead of pressing man across the board.

Other Plays in Spread