Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
RZ Mtn PA Crossers is a play-action pass out of Singleback Tight Y Off with 11 personnel, designed around a play fake to hold linebackers before both crossers work opposite directions underneath the deep shot. The diagram shows the two receivers from the left side crossing over the middle at different depths (a deep crosser sitting behind a shorter crosser), the inline TE releasing vertically up the seam and breaking back to the opposite sideline, the HB running a flat/checkdown route to the boundary, and the backside X running an underneath drag. This is a man beater built on natural rub traffic from the crossing routes, and the primary read progression starts with the deep crosser working across the field, then works down to the underneath crosser or TE break if the middle is clogged, checking down to the HB flat route as the last resort.
Defensive Reads
Read the linebacker depth immediately after the snap, if they bite hard on the run fake the crossers will have wide open throwing lanes across the middle. Identify single high safety shells pre-snap, since the crossing routes are designed to split zone defenders and exploit the seams in Cover 1 and Cover 3. Watch for a user-controlled defender sitting in the middle zone (lurk technique), as this is the biggest threat to both crossing routes and can jump the throwing lane. Cover 2 with sound underneath zone drops can clog the crossing lanes and force the quarterback to check down to the HB flat route, so look for two deep safeties as a sign this play may be limited. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the most vulnerable shell, since the natural rub from the crossers creates immediate separation against man defenders trailing from behind.
Usage Tips
Sell the play fake by holding the ball on the fake handoff animation as long as possible to freeze linebackers and open passing lanes for the crossers.
Use this in the red zone or on second and medium situations where defenses are more likely to sit in man coverage or blitz, since the crossing routes exploit man leverage and rub off defenders in tight spaces.
Pre-snap, check for single high safety looks or man alignment on the crossers, if you see press man across the board this play hits fast off the rub concept.
Hot route the HB flat route into a quick out or wheel if you diagnose a blitz, giving the quarterback an immediate answer against pressure.
Pair this with PA Cheat Cross or PA Deep Cross from the same set to keep the defense guessing on which crosser is the primary read, since both plays look identical out of the play-action fake.
