Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 11 playbooks
Breakdown
PA X Cross Shot is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Trips X Nasty (11 personnel) that hits off a run fake to hold the linebackers before releasing three vertical stress routes. The backside X runs a deep crosser all the way across the field, the inside trips receiver runs a shot route straight up the seam, and the outside trips receiver breaks off a corner route toward the sideline. This is a man beater built to exploit crossing traffic and pick, with the primary read progression starting on the deep crosser working across the field, then climbing to the seam shot route, and finally working outside to the corner if the safety rotates over the top.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single high or two high safeties since single high leaves the deep crosser and shot route open behind linebackers biting on the run fake. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they step up hard to defend the play-action run fake the crosser will have a clean lane across the middle. Post-snap, user the deep middle defender or lurking linebacker to sit on the crosser's path since that route requires the most time to develop and is vulnerable to a jumped throwing lane. Cover 3 defenses with a hard-charging strong safety on run action are the most exploitable shell for this concept. Man coverage teams playing press on the outside receivers should be picked apart by the crosser rubbing off traffic, but a disciplined deep half safety in Cover 2 or Cover 4 can undercut the corner route if the quarterback stares it down too long.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or in second and medium situations where defenses expect run action out of trips formations. Check pre-snap for single high safety looks, this play thrives against man coverage and Cover 3 because the crosser drags defenders into traffic and clears space for the shot route behind it. If you see two high safeties sitting deep, hot route the corner route to a comeback or hitch to prevent the ball from being thrown into a deep half defender. Pair this play with HB Off Tackle or Inside Zone from the same set to sell the run action consistently before dialing up PA X Cross Shot when the defense starts flowing hard to stop the ground game. Sequence this with Hi Lo Cross or Hi Lo Dig later in the drive since both share crossing concepts that condition linebackers to bite on shorter routes, making the deep shot route hit even bigger.
