Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
PA Slot Cross runs off a play-action fake out of Singleback Y Trips TE Slot with 12 personnel, holding the linebackers with the run fake before working a deep crosser across the field. The backside X receiver runs a deep vertical up the numbers, the trips side has one receiver clearing out on a corner-ish route to the sideline while the middle receiver runs the shallow drag underneath, and the TE from the trips bunch breaks off a short out to the flat. The primary read starts with the deep crosser coming from the right side of the formation working left, since it exploits any vacated middle-of-field void created by the run fake, and progresses to the backside vertical shot if the crosser is taken away, with the flat route and shallow drag as checkdown options against pressure.
Defensive Reads
This beats man coverage because the deep crosser creates natural rub traffic and separation against man defenders trailing across the field. It also punishes single high safety shells and Cover 3 since the crosser sits in the void behind underneath zone defenders and in front of the deep safety. Watch for Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, since a sinking safety can jump the crosser and turn it into a pick six if the quarterback does not see the user-controlled defender rotating over. Blitz-heavy zone pressure disguised presnap is dangerous, if the linebackers do not bite on the play fake and instead drop into the crosser's lane it clogs the primary read and forces a quick checkdown to the flat. Look for a sky or cloud corner rotation on the trips side, aggressive corner blitzes off the edge can beat the play action protection before the crosser has time to develop.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) when the defense is stacking the box or showing run blitz looks, since the play action freezes linebackers and safeties that bite on the fake.
Key the middle linebacker and single high safety before the snap, if they are creeping down for run support the crosser will have a wide open throwing lane behind them.
Hot route the flat TE route into a deeper option like a corner route against teams that sit their linebackers in shallow zones to take away the drag.
Pair this with HB Dive or HB Counter earlier in a drive to sell the run fake, then call PA Slot Cross once the defense starts keying run tendencies from the same formation.
Combine with Four Verticals and Y-Trail from this set to keep defenders honest, alternating between the crosser concept and vertical shots forces safeties to guess rather than jump routes.
