Playbooks
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Post Wheel out of I Form Slot 21 personnel gives you a five man route concept with a two man high-low combo to the field side. The outside receiver runs a deep post to attack the middle of the field while the inside slot runs a wheel route underneath, breaking outside then vertical up the sideline once the post clears space. On the backside, a receiver runs an inside breaking route across the field as a shallow crosser, and a running back releases out of the backfield on a flare to the flat, giving you a checkdown and a coverage stretch element. This is a man beater at its core, since the wheel exploits linebackers or safeties who cannot stay with a back or slot receiver turning upfield, while the post occupies the deep middle defender. Primary read progression starts with the post shot down the middle, then works to the wheel route as it clears the underneath defenders, and finally checks down to the flare or crosser if the deep options are covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch the free safety pre-snap, if he is aligned deep middle in a single high shell, expect the post to be the primary target and jump the throwing lane with your user controlled safety. Key the slot corner or nickel defender at the snap, if he sinks with the wheel route runner in man coverage this play struggles, but if he flat foots or bites on the underneath flare fake it is a green light for the offense. Linebacker depth at the snap tells you a lot, shallow linebackers who crash down on the crosser or flare leave the wheel route open for a big gain, so keep outside linebackers or hook defenders deep enough to wall off the sideline. This play struggles against two high safety shells with disciplined zone drops, since the post has to fit into a tighter window and the wheel route runs into a deep quarter defender. Blitz packages that bring pressure off the edge can disrupt the timing needed for the post to develop, so a well timed nano blitz or user rush can force an early or inaccurate throw before the deep routes fully break.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single high or two high safety shells, since the post route needs the middle of the field open to hit for explosive yardage.
If you see man coverage with a linebacker or slower defender matched on the wheel route runner, throw with anticipation before the break to beat trail technique.
Use this play on second and long or third and medium situations where you need a deep shot but still want a built in checkdown if the coverage rolls to take away the post.
Hot route the backside crosser into a deeper dig if you are facing zone heavy defenses that sit underneath and rob the middle read.
Pair this play with Bubble Screen or Double Slant earlier in a drive to bait linebackers into sitting shallow, then come back to Post Wheel to attack the vacated deep middle and sideline.
