Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Drag Wheel is a play-action shot play out of Singleback Bunch X Nasty that attacks defenses off run fake with a wheel route bursting up the boundary. Off the bunch alignment, one receiver runs a deep drag across the field while the wheel route works underneath and then vertically up the sideline, creating a natural pick and rub against man coverage. The backside X runs an outside release go route to hold the far corner and safety, while the blocking TE releases into a checkdown flat route as the last option in the progression. The primary read starts with the wheel route for the explosive shot play, works down to the drag crossing the field, and ends with the flat release underneath if the shot and drag are both covered.
Defensive Reads
Press man coverage on the outside receivers with no safety help over the top is the biggest indicator this play will hit for a big gain on the wheel. Watch for a single high safety rotating hard to the bunch side presnap, that usually means the defense is loading up to take away the drag and wheel combo, so the flat route becomes a live checkdown. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender sitting underneath the wheel route can jump the route early since the wheel has to work through traffic near the line before breaking vertical. Linebacker depth is key: if the second and third level defenders bite hard on the run fake and flow toward the line of scrimmage, the drag route will have a wide throwing lane behind them. User controlled defenders who lurk the drag crossing route can bait a quarterback into a turnover, so if you are on defense, spy that route with a rangy linebacker while trusting your corner to run with the wheel in man coverage.
Usage Tips
Call this play on early downs or in play-action favorable counts like second and short to keep the run fake believable and freeze linebackers. Identify man coverage pre-snap by checking corner alignment on the bunch, tight man alignment with no cushion on the wheel defender is a green light to trust the wheel over the top. If you see a two-high safety shell with soft corners, drop your first read to the drag route since the wheel will be capped by a deep half defender. Hot route the flat route TE into a quick option or shallow drag if you are getting pressure off the edge, since the play action fake means your quarterback has less time to climb the pocket. Pair this with PA Post Curl Shot or PA Cheat Wheel Post from the same set to keep defenses guessing on whether the wheel or a deep post shot is coming off similar bunch action, forcing linebackers to hesitate on run fits.
