Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mesh Wheel out of Shotgun Trey Open (11 personnel) sends the two inside receivers on a classic mesh concept, crossing shallow underneath while the backside outside receiver bends a deep corner route away from the mesh traffic. The trips side releases into a vertical stem before both outside receivers break away from each other on a high low read, while the running back releases from the backfield on a wheel route up the sideline as the true man beater against linebackers or safeties who try to stay attached. The primary read starts with the wheel route against man coverage leaking out of the backfield, then works to the mesh crossers underneath if the wheel is capped, with the backside corner route as the deep alert versus busted zone coverage.
Defensive Reads
Identify the defender aligned over the running back pre-snap, since a linebacker in man coverage on the wheel is a clear green light matchup for the offense. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow mesh area, as a user controlled safety crashing down on the crossers can jump the throw and take it the other way. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender squatting on the wheel route lane shuts this concept down, so if the corner sinks into that landmark pre-snap expect the wheel to be taken away. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the ideal shell to attack, since the wheel route will separate vertically once the linebacker gets picked or rerouted by the mesh traffic. Look for a delayed blitz off the edge, since the quarterback needs time for the wheel to develop and a fast rusher can force an early checkdown before the deep shot materializes.
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for a linebacker or safety walked up over the running back, since that defender is who the wheel route is designed to beat once he tries to carry the mesh traffic.
Use this play on third and medium or in the red zone when defenses are more likely to play man coverage and blitz, since the wheel and mesh combo punishes man to man leverage.
If you see two high safeties pre-snap, hot route the backside corner route into a deep out or comeback to avoid throwing into a natural zone defender sitting in that area.
Pair Mesh Wheel with Mesh Rewind or straight Mesh from the same set so the defense has to respect the crossing traffic every snap, then hit the wheel late once linebackers start jumping the shallow routes.
Against zone heavy defenses, sequence this play after Curls or Y Stick HB Angle so linebackers sink into shallow zones expecting a quick game throw, opening up the wheel route working up the seam.
