Mesh (5v5 flag football play)
Two receivers run shallow crossing routes toward each other at 4 to 5 yards and pass within an arm's length. Man-to-man defenders get tangled in the traffic, so one of the crossers is almost always open.
When to call Mesh
Against man-to-man coverage, and on third down when you need 5 yards.
Who gets the ball
- X on the shallow cross: throw it as X clears the middle.
- Y on the deeper cross going the other way.
- C sitting at 7 yards in the middle, the safety valve.
Coaching points
- X goes underneath, Y goes over the top. Decide this in practice so they never collide.
- Tell the crossers to keep running after the catch. The ball arrives while they are moving, so yards after catch are free.
- Z's vertical route matters: it pulls a defender out of the middle.
Common mistakes
- The crossers drift too deep. Keep X at about 4 yards and Y at about 6.
- The QB throws behind the receiver. Aim at the front shoulder.
What to call next
Once the defense jumps the crossers, have Y stop and sit in the middle of the field instead of continuing across.