Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Cheat Wheel Post is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Tight Y Off Wk that uses run-fake motion to hold the second and third level before attacking downfield. The diagram shows a wheel route breaking from the backfield up the numbers, a post from the slot cutting across the deep middle, and a shallow crosser working underneath from the opposite side to clear space and give a checkdown against a blitz. The primary read progression starts with the deep post against single high shells, works to the wheel route if the defense rotates to take away the post, and comes down to the shallow crosser as the outlet against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Watch the deep safety alignment pre-snap, single high shells leave the post route vulnerable to a big play down the middle of the field. If the defense shows two high safeties, expect the wheel route to be the primary answer since it attacks the flat to deep sideline seam. Key the linebacker who has to defend the wheel route out of the backfield, if he bites on the play-action fake the wheel is wide open. Look for user controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position over the shallow crosser, that route is the checkdown and can be taken away by a spy or a hook zone defender. Aggressive blitz packages that bring extra rushers can disrupt the play-action timing before the post and wheel fully develop, so identify blitz looks based on linebacker depth and slot corner alignment before the snap.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap, this play is built to attack single high shells where the post has room to work behind linebackers and in front of the deep safety.
If you see two deep safeties, prioritize the wheel route out of the backfield since the flat to deep corner conversion punishes zone defenders who stay flat footed underneath.
Use the play-action fake with the analog stick to hold linebackers and freeze user defenders spying the run, this buys the wheel and post extra time to develop.
Call this on early downs or in run heavy personnel counts so the play fake actually influences linebacker depth, it loses value on obvious passing downs.
Pair this with Fk Cheat HB Stretch or Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense respects the run fake, then hit this shot play once linebackers start creeping up.
