Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Crossers out of Shotgun Trips TE Flex uses play-action to hold the linebackers before releasing a five man route concept full of horizontal stress. The backside X runs a vertical seam while three receivers from the trips side work deep crossers at staggered depths, with the flexed TE running an out breaking flat route underneath to hold the flat defender. This is a man beater at its core, since the staggered crossers create natural rub traffic and separation against man coverage, though the layered depth also stresses zone drops by flooding one side high to low. The primary read starts with the deepest crosser working across the field, then progresses down to the shallow crosser, checking the flat route on the TE flex as the outlet if the initial reads are covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth and hips at the snap, since if they bite hard on the play-action fake it opens up massive throwing lanes on the crossers. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play thrives, as the staggered crossers create natural picks that spring receivers open against tight man technique. Cover 3 zone with a hard flying safety is the biggest threat to this concept, since a deep middle defender can undercut the crossers as they work across the field. Key the flat defender pre-snap to see if he is sitting on the TE flex route, because if he widens out early it signals zone coverage and opens the shallow crosser as a bigger window. Post-snap, identify any user controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle zone, since that player can jump the underneath crossing routes if the quarterback stares them down too long.
Usage Tips
Use play-action fakes on early downs when your run game has established credibility, since the freeze on linebackers is what opens the crossers underneath.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or single high, because the deep crossers will have more room versus two high shells that keep safeties from robbing the middle.
Hot route the flexed TE to a quicker option if you see a blitz look, since he is your built in outlet against pressure and can save the play when protection breaks down.
Pair this play with HB Draw or Inside Zone in your call sheet to keep defenses honest on the same run action, then hit them with PA Crossers once they start crashing downhill.
Best used on first and second down in normal to long yardage situations, since the deep developing crossers need time and defenses have not yet sold out on the pass.
Combine with Dagger or Levels Sail in sequence to attack the same crossing patterns from different depths, forcing linebackers and safeties to guess on route timing.
