Playbooks

Fake Screen Wheel

Shotgun·Trips TE Offset·11

Play Action Screen Pass Wheel Pass Play

Play diagram for Fake Screen Wheel from Shotgun Trips TE Offset in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips TE Offset

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

Cowboys OffenseOffense NFL Live Cowboys OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Fake Screen Wheel is a play-action screen play out of Shotgun Trips TE Offset that disguises itself as a bubble or HB screen before releasing a receiver up the sideline on a wheel route. The diagram shows the outside receiver faking a quick screen action before breaking vertically up the numbers, while the inside slot receiver runs a straight vertical route to clear space and occupy the deep defender over the top. This is a play-action screen designed to bait aggressive zone or man defenders who jump the screen fake, with the wheel route as the primary read once the fake sells and the defender bites underneath.

Defensive Reads

Watch for linebackers and slot corners cheating toward the screen action pre-snap, since that aggressive positioning is exactly what this play is designed to exploit Identify whether the defense is playing man coverage on the outside receiver, since a wheel route against man coverage with no safety help over the top is an automatic explosive play Key the deep safety alignment before the snap, because a two high shell with safeties staying deep can take away the wheel route and force the quarterback to eat the screen fake instead Look for a defender assigned to lurk on speed outs or flat routes underneath, since if that defender sits and reads the quarterback instead of biting the screen, the wheel route timing gets disrupted Beware of zone coverage with disciplined linebacker drops and a corner that stays on top of the wheel route, since a patient defense that does not jump the screen fake can blow this concept up before it develops

Usage Tips

Sell the screen fake by holding your eyes on the flat action before resetting to the wheel route, since pump faking or hesitating can freeze linebackers and safeties who are keying the screen action

Use this play against aggressive man coverage teams or defenders who consistently jump underneath routes, since the wheel route exploits corners and linebackers who bite on the initial screen look

Check the pre-snap alignment for Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells with safeties rolled down, since single high looks with an aggressive slot corner or nickel defender are prime opportunities for the wheel to break open behind them

Pair this call with RPO Alert Screen or RPO Alert Bubble earlier in a series so the defense conditions itself to jump screen actions, making the Fake Screen Wheel a devastating counter later in the same drive

Best used on early down and distance or in second and short situations where defenses are more willing to sell out against the run or screen game, giving the wheel route room to develop downfield