Playbooks
Scissors is a crossing route concept built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells out of the Shotgun Wide 5wr set. The outside receivers run deep crossing routes that intersect with underneath routes from the slot, creating natural picks against zone defenders and stressing the safeties over the top. This is a zone beater at its core, and your primary read progression starts with the deep crosser breaking to the field side, then works down to the underneath crosser if the safety rotates over to take away the first route.
Look for two safeties in a deep half or deep quarter alignment pre-snap, that confirms Cover 2 or Cover 4 which this concept is built to attack. Watch the flat defenders and underneath zone droppers post-snap, if they widen too far chasing the crossing action they open up throwing lanes for the quarterback. Man coverage with press corners can disrupt the timing of this route by jamming receivers at the line before the crossing action develops. User-controlled safeties who sit in the middle of the field and refuse to bite on the first crosser will shut this play down, forcing you to check down late. Watch for a delayed blitz or nano blitz off the edge, since the crossing routes take time to develop, a fast interior pressure can force the quarterback off his spot before the picks materialize.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two deep safeties sitting at 10-12 yards you are likely staring at Cover 2 or Cover 4, which is exactly what this play is designed to exploit.
Take your shot on the deep crosser first, the crossing action naturally creates rub and separation against zone defenders sitting in their landmarks.
If the safety jumps the first crosser, work your check down to the underneath crossing route for the easy completion, the picks force late reactions from linebackers and nickel defenders.
Use this on second and long or third and medium situations where defenses are more likely to sit in a two-high or four-deep shell instead of blitzing.
Pair Scissors with Four Verticals or Deep Divide in your play-calling sequence, once the defense adjusts their safeties to jump the crossers you can hit them over the top with a vertical shot.