Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA Wheels out of Shotgun Monster is a play-action shot play built around two wheel routes stacked outside a pair of short releases from the slot. On the left, the outside receiver breaks vertically up the sideline off a wheel path while the inside slot man works a quick out underneath to hold the flat defender. On the right side, the outside receiver runs the same wheel concept vertically up the numbers while the slot receiver clears out underneath and away toward the boundary, creating horizontal separation from the wheel route. This is a man beater at its core, designed to spring the wheel routes against man coverage or off man technique once linebackers and corners bite on the play-action fake, with the primary read progression starting outside on either wheel route and working to the underneath breaking routes if both wheels are covered deep.
Defensive Reads
Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap, since a true two high shell takes away the wheel route's biggest advantage and forces you into the underdeveloped underneath routes. Key the flat defender or slot cornerback immediately after the snap, if he sits and does not widen with the wheel route the throwing window closes fast. Look for a user controlled defender flying down into the box on the play-action fake, that is your green light to release the wheel route without hesitation since the deep defender responsible for that zone just vacated. Zone coverage with linebackers dropping to intermediate depth and staying square to the quarterback usually signals this play will be covered underneath, bail to the checkdown or throw it away rather than forcing the wheel. Man coverage combined with a single high safety rotated to the opposite hash is the ideal defensive alignment to attack, since the wheel route on the side away from the safety has no deep help at all.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs or second and short so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers and freezes the second level.
Pre-snap, identify man coverage by checking if corners are aligned tight to the outside receivers with no help over the top from a two high shell.
If you see man coverage, snap the ball and go directly to your first read on the wheel route that has the one on one matchup you like best, usually the side away from the boundary corner's help.
Use hot routes to convert the underneath out or in routes into hitches or slants if you diagnose a hard blitz, giving your quarterback a faster outlet before the wheels develop.
Pair this play with Fk WR Screen to slow down aggressive edge blitzers and with RPO Zone Alert to keep the defense honest against light boxes, then come back to PA Wheels once the defense starts selling out on the run fake.
