Playbooks

HB Cross Screen

Shotgun·Y Trips Wk·11
Screen PassHb ScreenCrosserPass Play
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

Franchise Offense Gun ScreengameOffense

Breakdown

HB Cross Screen out of Shotgun Y Trips Wk is a designed screen pass that gets your running back leaking to the opposite side of the formation while the offensive line sets up in delayed pass protection before releasing to lead block downfield. This is a zone beater at its core because it punishes upfield pass rush and aggressive linebacker blitzes that vacate underneath throwing lanes, and it also holds up against man coverage since the trips receivers occupy defenders away from the screen side. The primary read progression is simple: the QB looks off the trips side to hold safeties and linebackers, then immediately throws to the HB crossing underneath as soon as the blockers get out in front.

Defensive Reads

Key on defensive ends and outside linebackers immediately after the snap, if they crash hard upfield without contain discipline the screen lane opens instantly Watch for a spy or a linebacker sitting in the middle of the field, that defender is the primary threat to blow up the screen before blockers arrive Check safety depth pre-snap, if both safeties are rotated deep to respect the trips side vertical routes it signals more room underneath for the HB Diagnose man coverage by watching corners follow the trips receivers across the formation at the snap, man coverage leaves fewer defenders reading the backfield and helps the screen develop Identify zone blitz packages where a corner or safety drops into an underneath zone near the screen side, this is the biggest defensive read that shuts down HB Cross Screen since it clogs the lane your blockers need

Usage Tips

Call this play against aggressive user blitzers who like to bring pressure off the edge or up the middle since the screen naturally voids those lanes once the rush commits upfield

Use pre-snap motion or a hard play fake read on the trips side to freeze linebackers before the ball is snapped, giving your blockers extra time to get set up front

Best run on second and medium to second and long or on early downs when the defense is expecting a dropback pass, since the trips look sells verticals or curls first

Pair this with Fl Dig or Curls X Go earlier in a series so the defense keys on the trips side receivers and stops respecting the HB release, setting up the screen as a change of pace

Avoid calling this into zone defenses with disciplined linebackers who sit and read the backfield, since they will crash the screen before blockers get position

If the CPU or user shows a heavy inside blitz look pre-snap, hot route nothing and just trust the design, the natural rush lanes create the running room

Other Plays in Y Trips Wk