Playbooks
PA Dagger U Cross
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Dagger U Cross is a play-action pass out of Singleback U Off Trips with 12 personnel that layers a dagger concept on the boundary with a deep crosser coming from the trips side. Off the play-action fake, the backside X runs a corner route while the vertical seam runner sits down as a dig underneath it, creating the classic dagger clear-out, while the trips side sends one receiver on a deep crossing route and another underneath to the flat. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater built to attack zone drops, with the crosser stretching the middle void and the dagger combo isolating the flat defender and deep half safety on the opposite side.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two-high or single-high, since this play is designed to exploit the seams in Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone drops. Watch the flat defender on the trips side after the snap, if he sinks with the underneath route the crosser will have a soft spot behind him in the intermediate zone. Key the deep safety rotation on the dagger side, if he stays home over the corner route the underneath dig becomes the primary answer instead. Beware disguised Cover 1 or Cover 0 man blitzes, since the play-action fake holds the running back in as a blocker and leaves the quarterback exposed if the protection breaks down against extra rushers. If a linebacker sits directly in the crossing route's lane in zone, that is a lurk threat that can jump the throw, so look off that defender or hold the ball until he clears before delivering the crosser.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and long or third and medium when the defense is likely sitting in a two-high shell, since the dagger and crosser both punish deep zone drops. Pre-snap, check for a single high safety rotating late, if the safety cheats toward the trips side, target the backside corner route on the dagger concept for an explosive gain. Hot route the underneath dig on the crosser side into a shallow drag if you see man coverage with no help over the top, this turns the crosser into an easy rhythm throw against man leverage. Pair this play with PA Boot Slide and Mtn PA Y Corner in your play-calling sequence, since all three sell run action first and force linebackers to bite on the fake before dropping into coverage. Against aggressive blitz looks, get the ball out quickly to the flat route off the trips side as a built-in checkdown rather than forcing the deeper crosser or corner route into pressure.
