Playbooks

Y Shallow Cross

Singleback·Y Trips·11
Shallow CrossCrosserPass PlayBlock and ReleaseDragFlatPostWheel
Play diagram for Y Shallow Cross from Singleback Y Trips in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

In 2 playbooks

Balanced Run OffenseOffenseElites OffenseOffense

Receiver routes

Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.

See this play with a team's players
PlayerSideRoute
HB1MiddleBlock and Release Hook
WR3RightWheel
WR1LeftFlat
WR2RightPost
TE1RightDrag

Read progression

  1. TE1 right, Drag
  2. WR1 left, Flat
  3. HB1, Block and Release Hook
  4. WR2 right, Post
  5. WR3 right, Wheel

Breakdown

Y Shallow Cross out of Singleback Y Trips is a classic drive concept pass play built to attack man and zone coverage with a true shallow crosser. From the trips side, the shallow drags all the way across the field underneath while the middle receiver runs a dig style out route to the boundary and the outside trips receiver climbs vertically up the seam. On the backside, the single receiver runs a corner breaking dagger route while the RB checks down with a middle read stem off the initial run fake look. The primary read progression starts with the shallow crosser working left to right, then works to the dig sitting down against zone, and finally climbs the ladder to the deep vertical shot if the safety bites on the underneath stuff.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties, this usually signals zone coverage and tells you to speed up your drop to the dig route. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink hard to take away the shallow crosser it opens a throwing window on the dig sitting behind them. User controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position over the shallow are the biggest threat to this concept, if you see a defender spying that crossing lane, work the vertical seam or corner route instead. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play wins most consistently since the shallow crosser creates natural rub traffic that breaks off trailing defenders. Cover 3 with a hard buzzing strong safety can undercut both the shallow and the dig, so check the flow of the underneath zone defenders before committing to a throw.

Usage Tips

Use this on second and medium to second and long when you expect man coverage since the shallow cross is one of the best natural man beaters in the game against linebackers and slower corners in trail technique.

Motion the trips receiver pre-snap to identify if the defense shifts into man or stays static in zone, this tells you whether to prioritize the shallow or the dig read.

If you see a single high safety shell, hot route the vertical seam runner to a deep post to stress the middle of the field behind the shallow crosser.

Pair this play call with Mesh or Y Trail from the same set so the defense cannot key on the shallow action and start jumping underneath crossers.

Against zone heavy defenses, throw the dig route on time as your first read instead of waiting on the shallow, since zone defenders will sink and clog that shallow lane.

Other Plays in Y Trips