Peering Into Play-Action Passing: Attacking With the Deep Cross
Getting back to some true PA Deep Cross Concepts could reignite the Chiefs deep passing attack over the middle of the field.
As the offseason churns along so does the Play-Action Passing series with the goal to look into some play-action concepts that are familiar to the team. Earlier this week the inaugural concept that kicked off the series was the Fake Cross, Sail Concept and this week we are tackling the older brother, the Deep Cross Concept.
The two concepts have a lot of similarities but one significant difference is how efficient the Chiefs were getting into these concepts without using play-action. Sail concepts are a fundamental route combination that stresses defenses regardless of mis-direction. Even without the fake-cross route or play-action, the way sail concept overloads one side of the field can still force a vertical stress on a defense.
For that reason, the Chiefs have still been able to find efficient success on sail concepts but the deep cross concepts haven’t remained as lucky. The Chiefs still hit deep crossing routes on Posts, Deep Overs, Digs, ect but the way defenses began playing them in 2021 really reduced their efficiency on those looks.
Still, the Chiefs continued to dial up frequent deep crossing concepts because it’s something they’ve built their offense around. If they want to continue that trend they may need to take a step-back in time to the 2017 and 2018 Chiefs that set up those types of plays through play-action more frequently.
Deep Cross Concept
What Is It
A lot of plays fall into the PA Deep Cross concept bucket but for this series it’s going to be limited plays in which a backside receiver runs across the middle of the field to the opposite side. This route is going to be run beyond 10 yards and work underneath some kind of vertical route run by a receiver on the frontside of the formation.
The specific routes, how many receivers are in the play, and even the formation can vary as long as those basic principles are included. In the video above there are three entirely different variations that don’t appear that similar at first glance, but once the specifications are narrowed down then the connection becomes easier to see.
Using your imagination, you can remove the run-action from this play and just focus on the routes and come very close to something you’ll see the Chiefs run numerous times a week. Early in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs found of a success doing just that. This past season defenses started to find ways to slow down the deep routes over the middle of the field, so if the Chiefs’ want to continue to attack they area, they may need a change in strategy.
How It Works
The run-action, play fake, and offensive line play is going to mirror the PA Fake Cross, Sail Concept. A good sell of a run play is going to drag the second level defenders towards the line of scrimmage opening up space behind them for routes breaking horizontally across the field.
The Route Concept
The route combination isn’t overly complex but just a tried-and-true formula that works very well with talented receivers and quarterback play. The run-action to start the play is designed to pull the second level defenders forward but the real key happens downfield.
Typically the strong side of the formation there will be a vertical route - or two - designed to pull the cornerback and safety down the field. Often times there will be a Post route involved which serves to ensure a safety is forced to defend it and if not it will turn into a big play on it’s own.
The final piece is having a backside receiver run a Deep Cross over the middle of the field. With the second level manipulation it’s going to be difficult for nearby second level defenders to recover and chase the crossing route. Pair that with the frontside vertical routes taking the opposing secondary downfield and there becomes a ton of space in the intermediate area of the field for that crossing route to break wide open.
Where the Chiefs Can Capitalize
If you go back and start watching the Chiefs’ passing attack from 2017 to 2021, there are very obvious changes to this exact concept. In 2017 and 2018, the amount of Deep Cross Concepts that were dialed up paled in comparison to outside breaking routes or Verticals Concepts. When they did dial them up they were almost always coming off of some kind of play-action look and producing quality looks.
As the offense transitioned to be based more and more around Mahomes’ skillset that began to change. The outside breaking routes or even straight-up Go routes started to turn into more deep crossing concepts of various types. The Deep Over concept was popularized during this time and many of these plays were called without a true, hard run-action attached.
It worked for years but teams began to show signs of figuring it out in 2021. It may be time to look back at how that deep middle of the field passing attack began to take to shape and mold the Chiefs current passing attack.
The extra bonus to this is shown in the clip above. When the Chiefs were having success using the play-action version of the Deep Cross Concept, a lot of it was with Alex Smith at quarterback but there is no reason to think Mahomes’ wouldn’t be even better.
In the video above, Smith and Mahomes run an almost identical play - different personnel but say play call - but it’s pretty evident that Mahomes gets ready to throw quicker than Smith. The protection on the first play does leave something to be desired but Smith makes the decision to fully scramble 3 seconds after the snap.
By comparison, Mahomes gets through his fake reverse, gets his head turned around, identifies a receiver, and begins his throwing motion in 2.7 seconds. It’s not a massive difference and the read is a tiny bit cleaner but it’s also not a coincidence that he was ready to sling the ball into a tight window instantly.
If given more opportunities to run true PA Deep Cross Concepts, I can’t see how Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense doesn’t fine frequent success.
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