Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mesh out of Shotgun Spread Dbl Flex sends the two inside receivers on crossing shallow drags that pick against each other underneath the second level, creating natural rub traffic against man defenders. The backside outside receiver runs a deep vertical to hold the safety, the playside outside receiver bends an over route into the middle of the field, and the HB releases out of the backfield on a flat route to the boundary as a checkdown and outlet against blitz. This is a classic man beater built on the mesh crossers, with the deep vertical serving as a zone-clearing element and the primary read progression starting with the mesh combo underneath before working to the HB flat and finally the deep shot if the safety bites.
Defensive Reads
Watch for user controlled defenders sitting in the mesh window since a smart user can undercut both crossers and jump the low read if you stare it down. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play hits hardest since the crossers will rub off defenders and create natural separation. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers sitting in shallow zones can clog the mesh crossers, so check the flat and deep vertical instead of forcing the throw underneath. If the defense brings a nano blitz off the edge, get the ball out fast to the HB flat route since the mesh takes time to develop and can get you sacked against pressure. Look at the deep safety before the snap, if he is shaded toward the vertical route side, work the mesh and flat combo since the top of the defense is compromised on the crossers.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing man coverage by checking for a single high safety and tight cornerback alignment on the two inside receivers since mesh thrives against man leverage. If you see two high safeties in a soft zone shell, hot route one of the mesh crossers into a hitch or sit route to beat the underneath zone defenders sitting in the throwing lanes. Use the HB flat route as your blitz beater on third and long since it gives you a quick outlet if the mesh gets clogged by a spy or extra rusher. Pair this play with Inside Cross or FL Cross later in a series so the defense keys mesh action and you can hit the deep vertical or over route for a big play once they jump the shallow crossers. Best called on second and medium to third and long where the mesh rub and picks have room to develop against off coverage or nickel packages.
