Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA TE Wheel is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot that sends the TE on a wheel route up the sideline off a shallow fake, paired with a corner route from the outside receiver on the right side of the diagram. On the left side, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical while the slot works a shallow in-and-out crossing route underneath. This is a man beater first because the wheel route creates a natural pick and leverage advantage against man defenders who try to trail the TE out of the backfield area, but it also has zone answers with two vertical stretches on both sides of the field. The primary read starts with the TE wheel against man coverage, then progresses to the corner route on the right if a safety or corner overplays the wheel, working backside to the deep vertical or crossing route if the play holds up long enough off the play-action fake.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety pre-snap, which signals man coverage underneath and tells you the wheel route has a strong chance to win vertically against a slower linebacker. Key the flow of the linebackers after the play-action fake, since aggressive run-fit linebackers who bite on the fake open up a running lane for the TE to release clean into the wheel. Identify two deep safeties pre-snap as a red flag, since that shell usually means the corner route and wheel route will be capped over the top by zone defenders sitting in the deep quarters. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender flashing down toward the shallow crossing route, since that lurking defender can jump the underneath window and bait a turnover. Recognize corner blitz or nano blitz packages pre-snap by checking if the corner on the TE side is crashing down, since the wheel route can get picked off at the line before it develops if the protection cannot hold up.
Usage Tips
Look for man coverage indicators pre-snap such as corners lined up tight on the TE or slot defenders shaded inside, since the wheel route thrives when a linebacker or safety has to run with the TE vertically.
Use this play on early downs like first or second and medium to keep defenses honest against the run threat sold by the play-action fake, since the shot play punishes defenses that bite on run fakes.
Hot route the backside crossing route into a deeper dig or a shorter option route if you are getting single high safety looks with two deep corners, giving you a quicker answer against zone drops.
Pair this call with HB Draw or Inside Zone earlier in a drive to set up the play-action fake, then dial up PA TE Wheel once the defense starts keying run flow to the same side.
Combine this with Curl Wheel or Post Trail in your play-calling sequence so opposing defenses cannot sit on the TE wheel concept without opening up shallow crossing routes underneath.
