Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Crossers out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex uses play-action to hold the linebackers before releasing a four man route concept with two deep vertical routes from the outside receivers, a deep crossing route from the slot that climbs from the opposite hash, and an out route from the backfield player releasing to the flat. The blocking scheme is a play-action fake designed to sell run action to the backside while the offensive line sets to protect against the rush. This is primarily a man beater, using the deep crosser to create natural separation against man defenders while the two vertical routes stretch the cornerbacks and stress any single high safety. The primary read progression starts with the deep crosser working across the field, then works to the vertical route on the flex tight end side before checking down to the flat route if the pocket collapses.
Defensive Reads
Watch for Cover 3 or Cover 1 shells with a single high safety, since the vertical routes will hold that safety and leave the crosser open in the middle of the field. If linebackers show blitz off the edge before the snap, expect the play-action fake to be less effective and prioritize a quick throw to the flat. Man coverage defenders trailing the crosser from behind are the key indicator this play is working, since the route is designed to lose them on the crossing action. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties can squeeze the verticals and force the quarterback to hold the ball longer, so watch for a user controlled safety sinking into that throwing window. Zone defenses that spin a linebacker to wall off the crosser will shut this down, so check the depth of the middle linebacker before committing to that route.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into showing man coverage before the snap so you can commit to the deep crosser early.
Look for single high safety shells since the two verticals on the outside will occupy the deep half and open a throwing lane for the crosser underneath.
Hot route the flat runner into a deeper option route against teams that sit their linebackers in shallow zones to take away the easy checkdown.
Pair this play with HB Draw or RPO Alert Out from the same set so defenses cannot key on the play-action fake and start jumping the run.
Best called on second and medium or third and long when the defense is more likely to play zone or drop extra defenders into coverage, giving the crosser time to develop.
