Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Cheat WR Wheel is a play-action style route concept out of Singleback Wing Close with 12 personnel that uses a jet motion man (light blue) crossing the formation to clear space underneath. Off the snap, the outside receiver runs a wheel route up the sideline while the inline tight end releases vertically on a seam or post from the slot alignment, and a third receiver runs a shallow drag/out to the flat to hold underneath defenders. The primary read progression starts with the wheel route against man coverage or a blown assignment on the motion, then works to the vertical seam route from the tight end, and checks down to the flat route if both are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment: a single high safety indicates man or Cover 3, both of which are vulnerable to the wheel route beating a linebacker or slot defender in space. Watch the cornerback assigned to the motion man, if he trails across the formation it confirms man coverage and the wheel should be the first read. Post-snap, key the flat defender or curl-flat zone player, if he sinks with the shallow route or gets picked off by traffic near the line, the wheel route will have room to work up the sideline. Identify Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties, since the corner can sit on the flat and pass the wheel route to the safety, making the seam route from the tight end the better read in this coverage. User-controlled defenders sitting in a lurk position near the flat or seam can jump these routes, so watch for a rat linebacker or nickel defender clogging the middle of the field on the snap.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone: if a defender follows the motion man across the formation, this is man coverage and the wheel route becomes a strong man beater against linebackers or slower defenders.
Look for single high safety shells (Cover 1 or Cover 3) since the seam route from the tight end has room to split the safety and the corner if the corner bites on the flat route.
Hot route the shallow flat receiver into a quick option if you see immediate blitz pressure off the edge, since this gives the quarterback a fast release valve.
Pair this play with Mtn Cheat WR Out or Mtn Cheat WR Comeback in the same set to keep defenders guessing on the same motion look, forcing them to respect both the wheel and the shorter breaking routes.
Best called on second or third and medium when defenses are more likely to sit in zone or bring a disguised blitz, since the wheel route can hit for explosive yardage against confused zone drops.
