Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Fk Cheat Post Cross is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Tight Y Off Wk with 11 personnel that uses a fake cheat motion to sell run action before the quarterback drops for a deep shot concept. The diagram shows the outside receiver breaking into a deep post that stems across the field, a second receiver running a crosser underneath at intermediate depth heading to the opposite sideline, and a third route working a shallow out to the boundary while the back checks release into a flat route. The offensive line and back stay in to protect after the play fake, and the primary read progression starts with the post shot deep, works down to the crosser sitting behind linebackers, and checks off to the flat or out route if the middle of the field is clogged.
Defensive Reads
Look for single high safety shells before the snap, they are the biggest indicator that the post route has a one on one window deep. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they bite hard on the play fake the crosser will have a wide throwing lane behind them. Identify user controlled defenders dropping into a deep middle lurk, since they are the primary threat to jump the crosser and the post simultaneously. Cover 3 with a rolled up corner on the post side is the toughest shell to beat since it takes away the deep shot and forces you into the crosser against underneath zone defenders. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the post route, but a disciplined Tampa 2 or Cover 4 shell with safeties staying deep will shut down the vertical shot and force you to check down early.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or in second and short situations where the defense is more likely to bite on the play fake and bring safeties down into run support.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap: if you see a single high safety cheating toward the post side, work the crosser as your primary read instead of forcing the deep ball.
Motion sells the run fake harder against aggressive linebackers, so use this against teams that key on backfield action and flow hard to the line of scrimmage.
Hot route the shallow out into a deeper comeback if you are facing soft zone corners sitting on short routes.
Pair this with Fk Cheat HB Stretch or Fk Cheat Outside Zone earlier in a series so the defense respects the run fake, then hit them with this play-action shot when they start jumping the run.
