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offense / intermediate pass
Two shallow crossers meet in the middle to create traffic against man and horizontal stress against zone.
Animated assignment view
The quarterback locates possible man indicators and identifies the middle hook defenders who can wall the crossers.
Ball: center
How it works
Receivers cross in opposite directions at nearly the same depth while deeper routes clear space. The crossing point complicates man coverage, and settle rules let the same routes occupy open windows against zone.
Create dependable separation over the middle with answers against both man and zone coverage.
Two receivers run across each other's paths. Defenders following them can collide or fall behind, creating an easy throw in the middle.
Mesh spacing is measured rather than improvised: one crosser sets the depth and the other passes underneath, preserving both rub value and legal separation.
Decision point
Against man, choose the crosser who clears traffic; against zone, find the crosser settling between defenders or use the back underneath.
Hit the right-going crosser immediately after he clears the traffic point.
medium riskHold for the left-going crosser to find the next window.
high riskDeliver underneath when defenders carry both crossers across the field.
low risk{
"schema": "openplay-football",
"schemaVersion": "0.1",
"id": "mesh",
"slug": "mesh",
"name": "Mesh",
"side": "offense",
"category": "intermediate-pass",
"personnel": {
"id": "eleven-personnel",
"name": "11 Personnel",
"grouping": "1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR",
"positionCounts": {
"QB": 1,
"RB": 1,
"WR": 3,
"TE": 1,
"OL": 5
}
},
"formation": {
"id": "gun-doubles",
"name": "Gun Doubles",
"family": "shotgun",
"strength": "balanced",
"description": "Balanced receiver spacing gives both shallow crossers room to travel across the formation."
},
"situationTags": [
"third-down",
"man-beater",
"middle-field"
],
"players": [
{
"id": "qb",
"position": "QB",
"label": "QB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -5
},
"alignment": "Shotgun",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "quarterback"
},
{
"id": "rb",
"position": "RB",
"label": "RB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 31,
"y": -6
},
"alignment": "Offset right",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "runningBack"
},
{
"id": "x",
"position": "WR",
"label": "X",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 5,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide left",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "h",
"position": "WR",
"label": "H",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 17,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Left slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "y",
"position": "TE",
"label": "Y",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 36,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Right slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "tightEnds"
},
{
"id": "z",
"position": "WR",
"label": "Z",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 48,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide right",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "lt",
"position": "LT",
"label": "LT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 21,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "lg",
"position": "LG",
"label": "LG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 24,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "c",
"position": "C",
"label": "C",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rg",
"position": "RG",
"label": "RG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 29.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rt",
"position": "RT",
"label": "RT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 32.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
}
],
"preSnap": {
"description": "The quarterback locates possible man indicators and identifies the middle hook defenders who can wall the crossers.",
"shifts": []
},
"assignments": [
{
"id": "h-mesh",
"playerId": "h",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3000,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 19,
"y": 4
}
},
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 28,
"y": 5
},
"to": {
"x": 43,
"y": 5
}
}
],
"landmark": "Shallow right cross",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 1,
"conditionalAdjustment": "Settle in open grass against zone coverage."
},
{
"id": "y-mesh",
"playerId": "y",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3100,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 34,
"y": 5
}
},
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 26,
"y": 6
},
"to": {
"x": 10,
"y": 5
}
}
],
"landmark": "Shallow left cross",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 2,
"conditionalAdjustment": "Settle between hook defenders against zone coverage."
},
{
"id": "x-corner",
"playerId": "x",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3600,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 8,
"y": 10
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 3,
"y": 20
}
}
],
"landmark": "Left deep outside",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 4
},
{
"id": "z-post",
"playerId": "z",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3600,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 46,
"y": 10
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 35,
"y": 22
}
}
],
"landmark": "Deep middle clear",
"arrowhead": true
},
{
"id": "rb-checkdown",
"playerId": "rb",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3200,
"type": "check-release",
"check": "Scan inside-out before releasing underneath.",
"releasePath": [
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 34,
"y": -1
},
"to": {
"x": 38,
"y": 3
}
}
]
},
{
"id": "center-mesh-protection",
"playerId": "c",
"type": "pass-protection",
"responsibility": "Set a six-man scan protection with the back before release.",
"technique": "Vertical set"
}
],
"decisionPoint": {
"id": "choose-mesh-target",
"triggerTimeMs": 2200,
"prompt": "Which receiver has separated through the mesh?",
"explanation": "Against man, choose the crosser who clears traffic; against zone, find the crosser settling between defenders or use the back underneath.",
"options": [
{
"id": "first-crosser",
"label": "Throw to the first crossing receiver",
"description": "Hit the right-going crosser immediately after he clears the traffic point.",
"intendedRead": "His defender is screened or trails across the field.",
"riskLevel": "medium"
},
{
"id": "second-crosser",
"label": "Wait for the second crossing receiver",
"description": "Hold for the left-going crosser to find the next window.",
"intendedRead": "The first crosser is capped but the opposite hook zone opens.",
"riskLevel": "high"
},
{
"id": "rb-checkdown",
"label": "Use the running-back checkdown",
"description": "Deliver underneath when defenders carry both crossers across the field.",
"intendedRead": "Coverage depth vacates space in front of the back.",
"riskLevel": "low"
}
]
},
"timeline": [
{
"type": "pre-snap",
"atMs": 0
},
{
"type": "snap",
"atMs": 500
},
{
"type": "assignment-start",
"atMs": 550,
"playerId": "h"
},
{
"type": "route-break",
"atMs": 1500,
"playerId": "h"
},
{
"type": "decision-pause",
"atMs": 2200,
"decisionPointId": "choose-mesh-target"
},
{
"type": "ball-release",
"atMs": 2700,
"targetPlayerId": "h"
},
{
"type": "play-end",
"atMs": 4200
}
],
"narrative": {
"summary": "Two shallow crossers meet in the middle to create traffic against man and horizontal stress against zone.",
"fullExplanation": "Receivers cross in opposite directions at nearly the same depth while deeper routes clear space. The crossing point complicates man coverage, and settle rules let the same routes occupy open windows against zone.",
"strategicPurpose": "Create dependable separation over the middle with answers against both man and zone coverage.",
"idealSituations": [
"Third and medium",
"Against man coverage",
"When linebackers widen early"
],
"strengths": [
"Natural traffic against man",
"Run-after-catch potential",
"Built-in zone adjustments"
],
"weaknesses": [
"Interior pressure disrupts timing",
"Physical hook defenders can reroute both crossers"
],
"keyRead": "Identify man or zone behavior after the snap, then track which crosser exits the traffic point with leverage.",
"watchFor": [
"The crossers passing close together",
"Defenders navigating traffic",
"Receivers settling against zone"
],
"beginnerExplanation": "Two receivers run across each other's paths. Defenders following them can collide or fall behind, creating an easy throw in the middle.",
"advancedNote": "Mesh spacing is measured rather than improvised: one crosser sets the depth and the other passes underneath, preserving both rub value and legal separation."
},
"simulation": {
"difficulty": "intermediate",
"conceptTags": [
"intermediate-pass",
"mesh",
"man-beater"
],
"baseSuccessRate": 0.62,
"yardRange": {
"min": -5,
"max": 34
},
"turnoverRisk": 0.032
}
}