Playbooks

PA Shot Wheel

Shotgun·Trips TE·11
Play ActionWheelPass Play
Play diagram for PA Shot Wheel from Shotgun Trips TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 5 playbooks

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Breakdown

PA Shot Wheel out of Shotgun Trips TE shows a play-action fake to freeze the linebackers before releasing four receivers into a route combo built to attack the deep middle and sideline. The backside runs a deep post while the trips side stacks a flat route into a wheel that climbs up the sideline, with a corner route breaking outside from the slot and a vertical seam clearing the middle from the inside receiver. This is a play-action shot play designed to beat man coverage by using the wheel route to isolate a linebacker or slower defender in space, with the primary read progressing from the wheel route to the corner route and then over to the backside post if the play-action freezes the safety.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 3 or Cover 1 since the flat defender responsible for the wheel route is the key to this play beating man or zone coverage. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, if they bite hard on the play-action fake, the wheel route will have a clean release up the sideline with no immediate underneath threat. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender flowing to the trips side, since a sim or lurking user LB can jump the wheel route or the shallow flat and bait a turnover. This play struggles against zone coverages with a deep half safety rotated to the trips side, since that safety can sit on top of both the wheel and corner routes. Look for blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge, since the play-action set will not hold up long enough against a well timed nano blitz and the quarterback will need to get through his progression fast.

Usage Tips

Use this play on early downs or after establishing HB runs so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers and safeties for a beat.

Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like a linebacker aligned over the flat receiver, since the wheel route is designed to torch man defenders who cannot flip their hips fast enough.

If you see two deep safeties (Cover 2 or Cover 4), prioritize the corner route or the backside post since the wheel will be capped by a rotating safety.

Pair this play with Orbit PA HB Wheel or PA Boot Shot in the same set to keep the defense guessing between different wheel and boot concepts off similar formation looks.

Hot route the backside post into a deep comeback if you are facing heavy Cover 3 to give yourself a sideline outlet against the flat defender's drop.

Other Plays in Trips TE