Playbooks

Snag HB Wheel

Shotgun·Doubles Y Off Nasty·11
WheelSnagSnag ConceptPass PlayCover 3 Beater
Play diagram for Snag HB Wheel from Shotgun Doubles Y Off Nasty in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 12 playbooks

Chiefs OffenseOffenseCowboys OffenseOffenseJets OffenseOffenseLions OffenseOffenseSteelers OffenseOffenseTitans OffenseOffenseNFL Live Chiefs OffenseOffenseNFL Live Cowboys OffenseOffenseNFL Live Jets OffenseOffenseNFL Live Lions OffenseOffenseNFL Live Steelers OffenseOffenseNFL Live Titans OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Snag HB Wheel is a classic snag concept out of Shotgun Doubles Y Off Nasty that pairs three underneath routes on the right side with a wheel route from the backfield. The two outside receivers run a corner route and a flat hitch stacked underneath, while the slot receiver runs the hard corner breaking route to the sideline that clears space, and the HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the sideline off the snag concept. On the backside, a single receiver runs a deep vertical to hold the safety, giving you a true two level stretch. Against zone coverage the primary read starts with the corner or snag route working the flat defender, but the wheel is the home run answer versus man coverage when a linebacker or safety tries to stay attached to the HB out of the backfield.

Defensive Reads

Identify a single high safety presnap, that shell usually signals Cover 3 and tells you the flat and corner routes will be your first reads against the zone hole. Watch the flat defender on the snag side, if he sits on the shallow route the corner route sitting behind him becomes the window, if he bails deep the flat route is open underneath. Key the linebacker or nickel defender assigned to the HB out of the backfield, if he presses or mirrors in man coverage the wheel route is a lock for a big gain, if he sinks into a zone drop the wheel gets taken away. Beware Cover 4 or two high shells with a hard flat defender sitting outside, this can jump the snag route and bait a pick if you force the throw too early. Look for lurking linebackers or safeties cheating toward the flat and corner combo, a well timed blitz or robber technique from the middle of the field can undercut the wheel route timing before the HB gets vertical.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see a single high safety shaded away from the snag side this play is primed to attack that Cover 3 hole. Motion the HB or check the leverage of the defender covering him presnap, if a linebacker walks out over him instead of a corner or safety, hot route straight to the wheel because you have a favorable matchup on the vertical shot. Use the snag flat route as your first read on quick game downs like third and short, then progress to the corner route sitting down in the zone hole, and only go to the wheel once you confirm man coverage or a blown assignment. Pair this play with Double Post or X Dagger from the same set so defenders start expecting vertical shots from the backside receiver and get gun shy on the snag concept. Call this on early downs after running Inside Zone or Outside Zone from the same formation so linebackers bite on run action and open up the wheel lane for the HB.

Other Plays in Doubles Y Off Nasty