Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Scissors is a crossing route concept out of Shotgun Trey Open HB Str that gets its name from the two receivers on the trips side crossing paths at the top of their stems, one running a deep corner/flag route and the other sitting into a deep crosser that turns into an over route away from the trips side. The single receiver on the back side runs a comeback/curl breaking outside, while the HB releases from the backfield on a wheel-style route up the sideline underneath the crossers, giving the quarterback layered high-low and inside-out reads. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells by using the crossing routes to collapse underneath zones while the corner route stretches the deep half or quarter defender, and the primary read progression starts with the deep corner route against the flat/deep defender before working down to the crossing route and finally the HB in the flat.
Defensive Reads
Watch the safety alignment before the snap, two deep safeties or split safeties usually means Cover 2 or Cover 4, both of which this play is designed to beat. Key the flat defender or corner reading the trips side, if he sinks with the corner route the crossing route will be wide open underneath. If a linebacker or nickel defender walks up into a lurk position over the middle, expect him to sit on the crossing route and jump the quarterback's second read. Man coverage with press corners can disrupt the timing of the crossing routes at the top of their stems, so look for man alignment with no safety help over the top as a sign to move on to another play in the set. A quick blitz off the edge or from the A-gap can beat this play before the crossers develop, so check protection numbers and consider the HB wheel as a hot route against pressure looks.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two deep safeties or four deep defenders since this play is built to exploit those exact shells.
If the corner route is being bracketed by a deep safety, work the progression down to the crossing route sitting in the middle of the field for an easy completion.
Use the HB wheel route as a checkdown against teams that drop everyone into zone coverage or blitz off the edge, since it can turn into a big gain if the flat defender bites on the crosser.
Combine this play with RPO Peek Slant or RPO Zone Peek from the same set to keep the defense honest, since both plays share a similar backfield action but attack the middle of the field differently.
Best called on second or third and medium when you expect zone coverage, since the crossing routes need time to develop and man coverage can travel with the receivers underneath.
