Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Shallow Cross out of Shotgun Tight Y Off Wk sends the backside X on a deep shallow crosser (red route) that works all the way across the field underneath the linebackers, while the Y (TE) runs a corner route off the same side to clear space vertically. The frontside receiver bends outside on a deep dig style route to the opposite hash, and the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route from the boundary. This is a classic man beater built around natural rub traffic on the shallow cross, with the wheel as a home run outlet against overaggressive man defenders and blitz looks; the primary read starts with the shallow crosser working left to right, then progresses to the wheel if a linebacker or safety widens to help underneath.
Defensive Reads
Key the Mike linebacker at the snap, if he sits in the shallow zone or spies the crosser you need to user him and trail underneath to cut off the throwing lane. Watch safety rotation before the snap, a two high shell that rotates to single high post snap signals man coverage and the crosser should hit its window quickly. Sit a zone linebacker on the shallow drag route if you are in Cover 2 or Cover 3, this play struggles against sink and squat zone defenders who stay disciplined underneath. Get a user defender over the HB out of the backfield in man coverage, the wheel route is the big play risk and leaving it uncovered is how this play gets beat deep. Bring interior pressure with a nano blitz, the shallow cross depends on the quarterback having a clean pocket to read across the field, so collapsing the middle quickly disrupts the timing.
Usage Tips
Take a pre-snap look at linebacker depth, if the Mike or Will is sitting shallow in the box the crosser will get body banged so be ready to move to your second read immediately.
Against man coverage, trust the shallow cross to work through traffic and create natural separation off the rub, this is your first look on early downs.
If you see a single high safety with corners playing outside leverage, hot route the HB wheel earlier since man principles on the backend open up the sideline shot.
Use this play on 2nd and medium or 3rd and short since the shallow cross is a high percentage completion that also has YAC upside against blitz looks.
Pair this with PA Fk Cheat Post Cross or Smash Drag from the same set to keep the defense guessing between actual crossers and play action crossers off similar backfield action.
