Playbooks

Scissors

Shotgun·Trey Open HB Str·11

Scissors Pass Play Cover 2 Beater Cover 4 Beater

Play diagram for Scissors from Shotgun Trey Open HB Str in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrey Open HB Str

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

Scissors is a crossing route concept out of Shotgun Trey Open HB Str that creates a natural rub between two receivers breaking in opposite directions from the same stack. The diagram shows the trips side running a corner route crossing over a deep dig, while the backside single receiver runs a deep comeback and the HB releases into a flat route underneath, giving the QB a high low read against zone drops. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 4 beater built to attack the seams vacated when safeties rotate to the corner route, with the dig sitting down in the void behind underneath defenders. The primary read progression starts with the corner to dig combo on the trips side, then works down to the HB flat as the checkdown if the safety cheats over the top.

Defensive Reads

Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap, which confirms Cover 2 or Cover 4 and tells you the dig should have room to sit down in the seam. Key the flat defender after the snap, since if he sinks with the corner route the underneath window for the dig opens immediately. Look for a user controlled safety lurking over the dig route, which is the primary way defenses take this concept away. If the defense shows Cover 3 or a single high safety, expect the corner route to be more heavily contested and lean on the HB flat as the quicker option. Beware of interior blitzes since the rub concept takes an extra half second to develop and a fast up the A gap blitz can force an early checkdown.

Usage Tips

Pre-snap, identify if the safeties are showing two high or rotating to one high, since Scissors is designed to exploit Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells specifically.

If you see two deep safeties splitting the field evenly, target the dig route sitting in the seam behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties.

Use the corner route as a clear out against Cover 2 to pull the flat defender or corner deep, opening the window underneath for the dig.

Hot route the HB flat to a check release if you are getting pressure up the middle, since the natural rub can get muddied by a blitzing linebacker.

Pair this play with Four Verticals or Mtn Spot Y Corner in the same set to keep defenders guessing between vertical stress and the crossing rub concept, especially on second and long or third and medium.