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Breakdown
Curl Wheel out of Pistol Full House Base (21 personnel) shows a three level combo to the field with a curl and vertical from the left, plus a wheel and vertical route paired on the right side. The left X runs a curl that sits down in the underneath zone while a second receiver climbs vertically off the same stem, creating a natural pick or spacing conflict for zone defenders. On the right, the TE releases on a wheel route that stems outside and up the sideline while the outside receiver clears vertically, stacking two deep threats against the boundary corner and safety. This is primarily a man beater built off the wheel route from the TE, and the primary read progression starts with the wheel route matchup against a linebacker or safety, then works back to the curl, and finally to the backside vertical if the coverage rotates away from the wheel side.
Defensive Reads
Identify the flat or curl to flat defender pre-snap since his reaction to the underneath route determines whether the wheel route breaks open behind him. Watch linebacker depth and TE alignment before the snap, a linebacker walked up over the TE signals man coverage and a likely wheel route mismatch. Post-snap, key the safety over the wheel side, if he stays deep and does not widen with the TE the wheel route will be contested and you should work back to the curl. Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with a hard flat corner squeeze can undercut the curl and cushion the wheel late, forcing a checkdown read. Look for a user controlled defender spying the middle or lurking under the curl route, this indicates man or a robber concept and the wheel should be the immediate answer.
Usage Tips
Attack man coverage first because the wheel route from the TE is the built in explosive play against a linebacker or slower safety in man.
Check pre-snap for single high shells like Cover 1 or Cover 3 since the wheel has room to work up the sideline once the flat defender bites on the curl or flat action.
Use hot routes to speed up the curl route to a five yard depth on obvious passing downs so the underneath window opens quicker against zone drops.
Pair this play with Post Wheel or PA Flood in your play calling sequence so defenses cannot key on the wheel route tendency out of this formation.
Best called on second or third and medium when defenses are more likely to show man coverage or blitz off the edge, since the wheel punishes both.
