Playbooks
Breakdown
Mesh Post Wheel out of Shotgun Split Slot Open sends the backside outside receiver on a deep mesh under, the backside slot on a shallow crossing route back to the middle, and the frontside slot on a post that splits the safeties. The frontside outside receiver runs a wheel route up the sideline while the inline attachment near the formation releases vertical as a seam/go option, with the running back releasing into a check release scan route (shown in red) behind the mesh traffic. This is a man beater built to create natural picks with the mesh crossers while the wheel and post stress two-high shells vertically, and the primary read progresses from the mesh crossers underneath to the post in the middle of the field before working to the wheel route on the boundary.
Defensive Reads
Read the linebacker depth before the snap, if they are sitting shallow in zone drops they can undercut the mesh crossers and force you to the post or wheel instead. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, this signals man coverage underneath and confirms the mesh pick will spring someone open quickly. Key the cornerback across from the wheel route receiver, if he is playing outside leverage in press man the wheel has a much better chance to win deep down the sideline. Identify user-controlled defenders lurking in the middle of the field since a spy or rat in the hole can jump the post route and turn it into a pick six. Against zone coverage with a deep half safety staying home, the post can get squeezed, so be ready to check down to the running back's scan route underneath instead of forcing the deep shots.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and long or third and medium when you expect man coverage since the mesh crossers naturally rub off man defenders and free up the shallow routes. Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two-high shells rotate down to the post side after the snap, hit the mesh crosser quickly before the window closes. Motion the frontside slot before the snap to confirm man versus zone, if the defender follows across the formation you have a green light to trust the wheel route on the sideline. Pair this play with 46 Y Cross or Y Cross from the same set to keep defenses guessing between mesh concepts that stress different levels of the field. Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out fast to the shallow crosser and rely on the mesh pick to buy separation before the pocket collapses.
