Playbooks

Shift PA Duo Crossers

Singleback·Bunch TE·11

Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Shift PA Duo Crossers is a play-action shot play out of Singleback Bunch TE that sells the Duo run scheme before releasing crossing routes underneath to attack man and zone coverage alike. The shift motion adjusts the bunch alignment pre-snap to help identify man versus zone before the ball is even snapped, and the play-action fake from Duo blocking freezes linebackers and creates natural rub opportunities for the crossers. The primary read progression starts with the underneath crosser working from the bunch side, then works to the opposite crosser sitting behind it, using the natural pick action to spring one man open against man coverage or find soft spots in zone drops.

Defensive Reads

Check the safety alignment before the snap, since two high safeties suggest zone coverage that lets the crossers settle into open windows behind the linebacker level. Watch the linebacker depth and reaction to the shift motion, since linebackers who cheat toward the shifted receiver are showing man coverage and can be exploited by the crossing action. Cover 3 with a single deep safety can be vulnerable to this concept since the crossers occupy the hook and curl zones vacated by rotating linebackers. Man coverage with underneath help, like Cover 1 or Cover 0, is the toughest shell to beat here since the crossers lose the natural pick if defenders trail tightly and a user spy sits in the crossing lanes. Post snap, key any user controlled linebacker or safety sitting in the shallow crossing lane, since a lurking defender there can jump the first crosser route and turn it into a turnover if the quarterback does not check the second read.

Usage Tips

Use the shift motion before the snap to bait linebackers or safeties into showing man coverage, since defenders who follow the shift are tipping man responsibility.

Play-action selling Duo works best on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage, since defenses respect the run fake more and bite on the mesh point.

If you diagnose zone coverage post shift, hold the ball an extra beat and let the crossers work into the void created by linebackers dropping to cover the flat or hook zones.

Pair this play with Shift Duo and Shift HB Sweep earlier in a drive so the defense keys run action from the shift motion, making the play-action fake in Shift PA Duo Crossers even more deceptive later in the series.

Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out on the first crosser quickly since the play-action mesh point can be vulnerable to fast interior pressure if protection is not called correctly with a hot route or extra blocker.

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