Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Fake Screen Wheel is a play action deep shot disguised as a bubble screen out of Shotgun Doubles Offset Wk. The diagram shows the outside receiver on the left selling a quick screen with a lateral hitch before breaking vertically up the sideline on a wheel route, while the inside slot receiver runs a deep corner or go route up the seam from depth. The backfield shows a fake handoff or screen action to hold linebackers and underneath defenders, and the primary read progression is the wheel route first since it exploits defenders flowing toward the fake screen, then the vertical route on the opposite side if the wheel is capped over the top.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage without safety help over the top gets exposed badly since the wheel route stacks vertically on a flat defender or corner who bit the screen fake Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with disciplined deep defenders staying home on verticals will shut down the wheel since the deep defender simply sinks into the route Watch linebacker depth pre snap: shallow linebackers who crash hard on screen and run action get beat easily by the wheel route working past them Post snap, key the flat defender or slot corner reaction to the fake screen action, if they attack downhill immediately the wheel route is wide open behind them User controlled lurk defenders sitting in the shallow flat area can jump the fake and undercut the wheel, so quarterbacks must recognize a squatting user defender and reset to the opposite vertical route
Usage Tips
Use this play when defenders have shown aggressive flow to screen action on prior snaps so they bite on the fake and open a lane for the wheel
Check the flat defender and slot corner pre snap: if they are sitting on screens or crashing hard on run fits this play gates them out of the wheel route
Hot route the underneath backfield defender attention with a chip or delayed release if you are getting immediate pressure off the edge since the play action fake needs time to develop
Best called on early downs or in run heavy situations where linebackers and safeties are keying run or screen tendencies
Pair this with HB Slip Screen or RPO Alert Bubble earlier in a series so the defense over commits to screen and run fits before hitting them with the wheel for a big play
