Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Exit PA Wheel is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Deuce with 12 personnel that sends the backside receiver in motion before the snap to help sell run action and create a natural release for the wheel route. Off the play-action fake, one receiver releases on a deep wheel up the sideline while a second route breaks outside on a deep out and a third climbs vertically up the seam, stretching the defense high low and sideline to sideline. This is a man beater built to exploit cornerbacks who bite on the run fake or get picked off by traffic underneath, and the primary read progression starts with the wheel route for a possible explosive play before working to the vertical seam and finally the deep out as the checkdown option.
Defensive Reads
Key the flow of linebackers at the snap, if they step up hard on the run fake instead of sinking into their zone drops, the wheel and seam routes will have running lanes behind them. Watch the cornerback aligned over the wheel route runner, if he presses and turns his hips to run with the motion man immediately, this confirms man coverage and the wheel should win downfield. Identify the free safety depth and leverage before the snap, a single high safety who bites on the play-action fake gets beat over the top by the seam or wheel, while a true two high shell can rob the deep middle and force the quarterback to the deep out. Look for user controlled defenders lurking in the middle of the field who can jump the seam route, since that route sits in a dangerous window against zone drops. This play is shut down by disciplined zone defenses that keep their linebackers sinking to their landmarks and safeties that stay true two high without cheating downhill on the run action.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone coverage since a defender following the motion man across the formation confirms man coverage and opens up the wheel route matchup. Save this play for second and long or third and long situations where defenses are more likely to sell out on the pass rush and bite on the run fake, since the deep shot routes need time to develop. If the safety shell shows two high, expect the wheel to be the primary answer against man coverage underneath, but if you see a single high safety rotate late, be ready to hit the seam route before the free safety can get over the top. Pair this call with Bounce Inside Zone Split or Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense respects the run fake and linebackers step up, giving the wheel route runner a cleaner release up the sideline. Use hot routes to convert the deep out into a quicker breaking route if you are getting pressured off the edge before the play-action fake has time to sell.
