3rd-and-Medium (4-7) Concepts

3rd-and-medium (4-7 yards) is the most-converted down-and-distance in football. The yardage is short enough for quick game; the routes have time to develop without exposing the QB to maximum-rush concepts.

The stick concept is the standard. The slot WR runs a 5-yard option route — sit if the LB drops, run flat if he doesn't. The outside WR runs a quick out at the sticks. The QB reads the underneath defender to decide which throw.

Slant-flat is the man beater. The slot runs a slant inside, the back runs a flat outside — natural pick on man coverage, simple read on zone. It hits in 1.8 seconds; protection rarely fails.

Mesh sit is the multi-option answer. Two crossers from a 2x2 set, both with sit options at 5 yards. Vs. zone, one of them sits free; vs. man, the rub frees the cross. The QB reads inside-out and throws to whoever comes open first.

The quick out is the worst-case answer. If everything else is taken away, throw the 6-yard out to the boundary WR. The throw is short and the receiver has space to turn upfield. Not glamorous, but it converts.