Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Cheat Wheel Post is a bunch-based man beating passing concept out of Shotgun Bunch Wide Nasty with 11 personnel. From the bunch on the right, one receiver runs a wheel route up the sideline while the other bunch receiver breaks outside and up the numbers on a corner-style route, creating natural rub separation against man coverage. On the left, the isolated receiver runs a deep vertical clear-out while the middle of the field gets a sharp post from the inside route that angles from the bunch stem. The primary read progression starts with the wheel route out of the bunch for the man beating leverage win, then works to the post crossing the middle of the field, and finally to the backside vertical if the safety bites on the underneath routes.
Defensive Reads
Look for a single high safety pre-snap which tells you the defense may be in man coverage or a single high zone shell, both of which the post route is designed to attack down the middle. Watch the cornerback aligned over the bunch receivers, if he is playing tight man technique the wheel route should win quickly due to the natural pick created by the bunch alignment. Key on the flow of the linebackers after the snap, if they widen out to cover the wheel route it opens up the post route working behind them into the vacated middle of the field. Two high safety shells with defenders sinking into deep quarters or deep thirds can shut down both the wheel and post routes, so be ready to check down to the backside vertical or throw underneath if the corner routes and post get squeezed. Be aware of a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle zone, since he can jump the post route if the quarterback holds the ball too long during the progression.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify if the defense is showing man coverage by checking for a defender aligned tight on the bunch, since the wheel and corner combo out of the bunch is designed to rub off man defenders. If you see a single high safety shell, prioritize the post route since it will split the difference between the deep half defenders. Use motion out of the bunch pre-snap to help diagnose if the defense is playing man or zone based on how the defense rotates or follows the motion man. Hot route the backside vertical receiver into a shorter comeback or curl if you are facing zone coverage to give yourself a quicker underneath option against off coverage looks. Pair this play with Cheat Post Slot Cross or Cheat Flood Switch in the same set so the defense has to respect both the wheel-post combo and other bunch breakouts, keeping linebackers and safeties guessing on route direction out of the bunch alignment. Best used on second or third and medium to long since the wheel and post routes both take time to develop down the field.
