Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Divide Wheel is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Empty Bunch that stresses the flat and sideline vertically while flooding the middle of the field. The outside receiver in the bunch runs a wheel route up the sideline as the primary man beater, while the two inside bunch receivers work a deep in and a shallow out to the flat, and the backside X runs a deep post to hold the safety. There is no run blocking shown since all five eligibles are out in routes, making this a pure dropback pass designed to isolate the wheel man against slower linebackers or safeties in man coverage, with the deep crosser as the first zone beating alternate read.
Defensive Reads
Bunch formations create natural rub opportunities so man coverage defenders trailing the wheel route from underneath will get picked, making this play tough to stop with straight man principles. Cover 3 with a sky safety rotating over the top of the wheel route can undercut the sideline throw, so if you see single high pre-snap and the corner sinking with the wheel man, move to your underneath checkdowns instead. Watch for a linebacker or nickel defender sitting in the flat with eyes on the quarterback, that user controlled defender can jump the shallow out route and bait a turnover. Zone blitzes that drop a defensive lineman into the shallow flat zone can clog the underneath routes, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer and take the deep shot down the sideline. If the defense shows two deep safeties before the snap and stays true to that shell, the wheel route loses its explosive upside since there is help over the top, prioritize the deep crossing route in the void instead.
Usage Tips
Use this on third and medium to third and long when you need a explosive gain against man coverage since the wheel route creates a natural pick and separation off the bunch alignment.
Pre-snap, look for man indicators like a corner or safety walked up tight on the wheel man with no help over the top, that is your green light to lock onto him immediately after the snap.
If you see a two high safety shell, work your eyes to the deep crossing route first since it settles in the void between zone defenders before you ever get to the wheel.
Hot route the backside post into a comeback if you are facing a Cover 3 shell with a deep third defender sitting on the vertical stem.
Pair this with Curl Flats or Z Spot from the same Empty Bunch set to keep the defense guessing between shallow zone beaters and this deep man beating shot play.
