Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mesh out of Shotgun Tight (11 personnel) features two crossing routes underneath from the left slot and inline TE that sit and settle in the shallow middle of the field to create natural rub traffic against man coverage. The backside outside receiver runs a deep vertical to hold the safety, the frontside outside receiver breaks to a corner route stemming from a vertical stem, and the RB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the sideline. Primary progression is mesh crossers first (find the pick and settle), then check the RB wheel against blitz or the corner route against single high looks.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage with press corners and linebackers in tight coverage over the slot and TE is the ideal shell to attack since the crossers create natural rubs and separation. Zone coverage, especially cover 3 or cover 4 with linebackers sitting in underneath zones, can clog the mesh crossers and force you to check to the wheel or corner route instead. Watch for a user controlled linebacker sitting in a lurk spot over the middle since he can jump the mesh crossers and bait a turnover. Check safety alignment before the snap: a single high safety favors the corner route beating man on the outside, while two deep safeties can squeeze the wheel route and the vertical clear-out. Post-snap, feel for delayed blitz pressure off the edge since the mesh routes take time to develop and the quarterback needs a clean pocket to let the crossers work.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man or zone by checking corner alignment on the outside receivers and linebacker depth over the mesh crossers.
Against man coverage, trust the natural pick action of the two shallow crossers and read the mesh from inside out to find the receiver who gets the rub.
If you see a blitz look with the RB releasing clean, hot route the wheel route as your outlet since it beats man coverage from linebackers and provides a big play window down the sideline.
Use motion or a quick audible into this play after running Mesh Spot or Tight Crosses to keep the defense guessing between shallow crossers and deeper crossing combos.
Best called on third and medium or in the redzone where the pick concept creates natural separation and the corner route gives you a high percentage boundary throw.
