Playbooks
PA Fk Cheat Flood Crossers
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Fk Cheat Flood Crossers is a play-action pass out of Singleback Tight Y Off that layers a horizontal flood with two crossing routes underneath. Off the play fake, the outside receiver on the strong side runs a deep corner while the TE works an over route across the middle, and the backside receiver breaks on a deep out to flood that side of the field, with the HB running a shallow drag underneath to give you a checkdown against a blitz. This is a Cover 3 beater built to stress the flat-to-deep third defender and the middle linebacker, with the crossers creating natural picks against man coverage and horizontal stretch against zone. Primary read progression starts with the deep corner route on the flood side, works down to the crossing TE sitting in the void behind the linebackers, and comes back to the HB drag as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the safety alignment: a single high safety signals Cover 3 or man coverage, both of which this play is designed to attack with the flood and crossers. Watch the flat defender on the flood side immediately after the snap, if he sinks deep to cover the corner route he opens up space for the crossing TE underneath. Key the middle linebacker's drop, if he widens to cover the crosser he vacates the middle of the field for a potential scramble drill or late developing route. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is vulnerable to natural picks created by the crossing routes, look for user defenders getting rerouted or losing contact. Cover 2 shells with squatting corners can jump the flood routes early, so be ready to check down to the HB drag quickly if you see corners sitting on the flat. Disguised blitzes from depth are the biggest threat since the play fake holds the offensive line and backfield eyes low, so account for extra rushers with the HB as a check valve.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is playing man or zone before the snap, since the crossers behave very differently against each shell.
Look for single high safety alignment, this play was designed to exploit Cover 3 by overloading one side while the crossers occupy the middle linebacker.
If you see Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, be ready to work the HB drag or check down quickly since the flood routes will be less effective against two-deep zones.
Pair this play with PA Deep Cross or PA Cheat Cross earlier in a series so the defense respects the play fake, then hit them with the deeper flood concept once they start jumping the run.
Best called on second or third and medium when defenses are more willing to sell out on the play fake and linebackers are biting on run action.
Hot route the backside receiver into a deep comeback if you are facing aggressive corners playing off coverage, this gives you another way to attack the sideline.
