Mesh out of Shotgun Cluster lines up with three receivers stacked tight to the formation and one receiver split wide on each side. The two inside receivers cross underneath at a shallow depth to create the classic mesh pick point, with the near slot sitting down on a shallow drag while the opposite slot works flat behind him, and both outside receivers push vertical up the sideline to hold the corners deep. The fullback or tight end releases to the flat opposite the mesh for a checkdown option, giving this a true man beater design where the primary read starts on the crossing routes and works out to the flat or vertical shots if the underneath picks get jumped.

Defensive Reads

Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets shredded by the mesh crossers, so identify single high shells or press man alignment pre-snap as your green light. Watch the near side linebacker depth at the snap, since a linebacker sitting shallow in a zone drop can rob the underneath crossing routes and force you to the vertical outlet. Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone shells with disciplined underneath defenders can clog the mesh point, so key on whether the second level flows with the crossers or stays home in their zone. User controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow middle third are the biggest threat to this concept, so scan the middle of the field before committing to the first crosser. Fast blitz packages that bring five or six rushers can beat this play before the mesh routes fully develop, so check for overload pressure looks and be ready to check the play down.

Usage Tips

Look for man coverage indicators pre-snap like corners lined up tight on your outside receivers, since the mesh crossers are designed to rub off defenders in man leverage.

Motion your slot receiver before the snap to force the defense to declare man or zone, then hot route the mesh depth shallower against tight man or deeper against zone to sit in the underneath windows.

Use this on second and medium or third and short since the shallow crossers convert quickly and give you a high percentage completion versus the blitz.

Pair this with Mesh Whip and Mesh Post from the same set so the defense cannot key on the crossing action alone, keeping linebackers honest on the shallow routes.

If the defense shows heavy blitz, check the ball down to the flat route immediately since the mesh concept eats up clock working through picks and leaves you exposed to a fast four man rush.

Mesh

Quick Reference

In 6 playbooks

Receiver routes

Read progression

Breakdown

Defensive Reads

Usage Tips

Other Plays in Cluster