Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Post Wheel Shallow out of Shotgun Empty Ace (12 personnel) spreads five eligible receivers to attack every level of the field with no running back help in the backfield. The near-side receivers run a wheel route out of the backfield area and a post that breaks hard upfield, while the inside slot works a shallow cross underneath through the box, and the backside receiver runs a deep vertical up the sideline. This is a man beater at its core, since the wheel and shallow combo creates natural rub traffic that forces defenders to fight through picks, but it also has zone answers with the shallow sitting under linebacker drops and the post finding the seam against split safety shells. Progression starts with the post attacking the deep middle, works down to the wheel if a linebacker or safety bites on the shallow, and checks down to the shallow cross as the underneath outlet against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Watch the cornerback assigned to the wheel route runner pre-snap, if he is playing tight man with no help over the top the wheel can house it once he clears the shallow traffic. Key the middle linebacker or nickel defender who has shallow cross responsibility, if he sits and squats underneath he will take away the shallow but open a throwing lane behind him for the post. Identify single high versus two high safety shells before the snap, single high leaves the post vulnerable to a robber technique while two high often opens the post seam between the safeties. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender flashing down into the shallow crosser's lane, that lurk threat is the biggest reason this play gets picked off if the quarterback stares it down too long. Recognize zone blitz packages that drop a defensive lineman into the shallow area, this disguised coverage eats the shallow route and forces the quarterback to hold the ball longer against extra rushers.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking corner alignment on the wheel route runner, tight coverage on him signals man and you should lean on the wheel and shallow rub combo.
Against single high safety looks, prioritize the post since the middle of the field is more open and the safety has to choose between the post and the deep vertical on the backside.
Use the shallow cross as your answer versus the blitz, it clears the shortest distance and gives you a quick outlet before pressure arrives off the edge.
Pair this play with All Go or Curl Flats in your play-calling sequence, running Post Wheel Shallow early to bait linebackers into jumping underneath routes, then punish them later with the deep shots.
On third and medium to long, call this from empty to force the defense to declare coverage immediately since there is no back to check release, giving you a clean pre-snap read.
