Playbooks
Breakdown
Mesh Post lines up out of Strong I Close with 21 personnel and sends the two receivers on the line into a classic mesh combo underneath, crossing tight in front of the formation before working back outside to the sidelines. The middle receiver off the line breaks into a post that climbs vertically before angling across the middle of the field, while the backside runs a deep vertical route up the seam to hold the far safety. This is a man beater built to create natural rub traffic with the mesh crossers while the post exploits any bite on the underneath routes, so the primary read progression starts with the post working inside if the safety bites on mesh, then works down to the mesh crossers underneath, and finally the deep vertical as a shot play outlet.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man coverage with press corners on the line receivers, since mesh concepts thrive against man due to natural pick action. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow and flows toward mesh traffic, the post route behind him will be wide open for a big gain. Key the single high safety rotation, if he cheats down to help on the crossers pre-snap, throw the post immediately before he can recover deep. Beware Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, since they can sink and rob the post while corners squeeze the mesh routes underneath. Watch for a user-controlled linebacker sitting in a shallow zone lurk, as this is the biggest threat to jumping the mesh crossing routes and baiting a turnover.
Usage Tips
Check the pre-snap safety alignment before the snap, if you see a single high safety cheating toward the mesh concept, take the post immediately on the catch for a big play down the middle.
Use the mesh crossers to pick off man defenders trailing your receivers, this play punishes man coverage teams that blitz because the rub creates natural separation.
Hot route the backside vertical into a deep out or comeback against teams that play a deep half safety over the top, since the straight vertical can get taken away easily by a two high shell.
Pair Mesh Post with HB Dive or FB Dive on early downs to sell run action out of Strong I, then dial up Mesh Post on second or third down once the defense starts keying run fits.
Combine this play with PA Deep Cross or Y Trail later in a drive so defenders start jumping the mesh crossers, opening up the post route for an explosive gain.
