Playbooks

Cross Flood

Shotgun·Trips·10

Crosser Flood Pass Play Cover 3 Beater

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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

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Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips

Personnel

101 RB · 0 TE · 4 WR

In 1 playbook

Franchise HS Spread OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Cross Flood is a Cover 3 beater built off the Trips formation that combines a deep crosser with a vertical flood concept to the trips side, stretching zone defenders both horizontally and vertically. The flood side stacks a corner or streak route over an intermediate out or flat route while the crosser works from the backside, giving the quarterback a natural high low read against a single deep third defender. This is a pure dropback passing concept with no play-action or RPO elements, and the blocking scheme is a standard five man pass protection to give the quarterback a full progression. The primary read starts with the deep flood route to see if the corner overcommits, then works down to the intermediate flood route before checking the crosser as the backside window against man coverage.

Defensive Reads

Identify the deep safety alignment pre snap, a single high shell means the flood concept has a clean vertical stretch on the cornerback covering the deep third. Watch the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker post snap, if they widen too fast to the flood side the crosser will have a wide open lane through the middle of the field. User the deep third defender on the flood side if you are playing defense, this forces the quarterback to check down to the crosser where you can rally with a linebacker in coverage. Cover 3 with a sky safety is where this play hits hardest because the corner has to choose between the vertical and intermediate flood routes, leading to an easy pitch and catch. Man coverage with underneath help, such as Cover 1 with a rat linebacker, is the best answer since the rat can sit on the crosser and take away the backside window while the corner plays the flood route straight up.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety confirms Cover 3 or Cover 1 and tells you the flood side will have a natural numbers advantage on the deep third corner. If you see two high safeties rotate down to Cover 2 or Cover 4 post snap, work the crosser immediately since the flood routes will be squeezed by extra deep help. Use motion or a hot route to check the flood route into a hitch against aggressive man corners who like to jump routes, this keeps the sideline throw quick and safe. This play pairs well with Slot Corner or Four Verticals as a follow up call since defenders who sit on the crosser or flat routes after seeing Cross Flood will open themselves up to a double move or vertical shot. Best called on second and medium to third and long when the defense is likely to sit in zone shells, since the flood concept punishes zone drops far more than tight man coverage.