Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn PA Cross runs off play-action from Shotgun Tight Open, with the offensive line selling run blocking to hold the second level defenders. The deep crosser works from the backside all the way across the field to the opposite hash while the outside receiver on that side clears vertically to open up the void behind it, and on the other side you get a corner route paired with a flat/pivot route underneath for a high-low read. This is a man beater at heart, since the deep crosser stresses man defenders who have to fight through traffic, but the vertical clearout and flat route give you answers versus zone drops as well. The primary read progression starts with the deep crosser, then works to the corner route if the middle of the field is clogged, and checks down to the underneath flat/pivot route as the safety valve.
Defensive Reads
Read the strong safety depth pre-snap, since a safety cheating toward the crosser's landing spot signals he is sitting on the route and you should progress to the corner route immediately. Watch for linebackers staying home instead of biting on the play-action fake, which tells you the defense is respecting the pass and the underneath flat route will be tightly covered. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play wins most often, since the crosser can create natural separation running across the defender's face. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can squeeze the crosser late, so be ready to check down to the flat/pivot route before the window closes. Watch for a user-controlled defender flashing into a shallow zone or crosser lane, since a lurking linebacker can undercut the crossing route if you hold onto it too long.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or second and medium when defenses are more likely to bite on the run action out of Tight Open personnel.
Check pre-snap if the defense is showing single high or two high, since the deep crosser has more room to work versus single high man coverage.
If you see Cover 3 or Cover 4 with heavy underneath zone drops, hot route the flat/pivot route into a quick out to beat the sink of the linebackers.
Pair this call with Inside Zone or Read Option out of the same set so the play-action look holds defenders and sells the run fake more convincingly.
Sequence this with Mtn Curls Out N Up or Mtn Spot N Go later in a drive once the defense starts jumping the crosser, since those concepts attack the same formation with different timing.
