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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Saints Cross out of Shotgun Y Off Trio Wk lines up in an 11 personnel trips-weak look with a deep dig from the backside receiver sitting right below a shallow crosser cutting all the way across the field. The X receiver on the boundary runs a corner route, the flanker to the flat runs an out to the sideline, and the running back releases into a check release flat route underneath everything. This is a man beater built off natural rub and pick action from the crossing routes, with the corner route serving as a coverage-stress read against zone drops, so the primary progression starts with the deep dig, works down to the shallow crosser working away from pressure, and finishes with the flat route as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Check the strong safety depth before the snap, if he is sitting shallow he is likely keying the crosser and will jump the shallow route. Watch the corner over the X receiver, if he stays flat footed at the snap that is a zone drop and you should work the dig into the vacated middle. If the defense shows two high safeties rotating late to single high, expect Cover 1 and target the shallow crosser against man coverage. Blitz-heavy fronts with a linebacker crashing off the edge signal man pressure, get the ball out fast to the flat or shallow crosser before the pocket collapses. User players sitting in the shallow zone or spying the crosser will jump this route immediately, so be ready to climb to the dig or corner route as your counter read.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, look for single high shells since the corner route and dig combo stress the deep half hard against Cover 3 and Cover 1.
If you see man coverage, prioritize the shallow crosser first because the natural traffic from the dig route creates instant separation against trailing defenders.
Against zone, key the flat defender and hi-lo him with the flat route and the shallow crosser to force a rep-conflict decision.
This play excels on second and medium or third and short since the crosser and flat option give you a quick answer against pressure looks.
Pair this with Double Drags or Slot Cross earlier in a series so linebackers start cheating toward crossing traffic, then hit the corner route deep once they overcommit.
