Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| WR3 | Right | Wheel |
| WR1 | Left | Streak |
| WR2 | Right | Bubble Screen |
| WR4 | Right | Streak |
Fake Screen Wheel is a play-action deception concept out of Shotgun Trio 4wr Str that baits aggressive defenders with a screen fake before releasing the back on a wheel route up the sideline. The offensive line sells screen blocking initially, drawing linebackers and defensive backs downhill, while the receivers run vertical and out breaking routes to occupy the deep and intermediate zones. This is primarily a man beater designed to exploit defenders who bite on the screen action, with the wheel route as the primary read once the fake sells and the underneath defender flows away from the sideline.
Presnap, identify if the strong safety or slot corner is cheating down toward the backfield, which signals they expect screen and are vulnerable to the wheel fake Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they crash hard toward the line of scrimmage on the fake, the wheel route behind them will be wide open for a big gain Cover 3 and Cover 4 zone shells with disciplined flat defenders sitting on screen action shut this play down since the flat defender can slide with the wheel route User controlled defenders who stay patient and do not bite on the fake, especially at strong safety, take away the explosive play and force a checkdown Man coverage with no safety help over the top, particularly Cover 0 or Cover 1 with the safety rotated away from the wheel side, is the ideal matchup to trigger the fake and win vertically
Use this play against aggressive defenses that key on screen action or crash hard on RPO and bubble concepts you have already shown on tape in the same drive
Pair it in a sequence after running RPO Read Bubble or HB Slip Screen so the defense downloads screen tendencies and bites harder on the fake
Best called on early downs like 1st or 2nd and medium when defenders are more willing to jump underneath routes and less concerned about giving up chunk plays
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick out or slant if you diagnose zone coverage presnap, since the wheel loses value against a sound zone shell with a flat defender sitting
Look to attack Cover 1 or Cover 0 man looks where the linebacker or nickel covering the back has no help getting over the top on the wheel