Play Description
#23 Post-Wheel is a versatile 5v5 Air Raid concept that attacks all coverages to pick up chunks of yards when you need a big play.
Post-Wheel shows the defense a similar look to #21 Deep Cross and #22 Mesh. Like those plays, there’s a short flat route, an intermediate crosser, and a deep post to stretch the defense vertically. The advantage comes from the wheel route by the green receiver.
Because the wheel from the slot looks like shallow flat route before exploding up field, it causes problems for both zone and man defenses.
Post-Wheel Wheel is effective against any coverage when you need to pick up 15+ yards in a hurry.
Assignments & Key Reads
The keys to successfully executing Post-Wheel are the Quarterback’s ability to find open grass and deliver the ball accurately 15+ yards downfield. Open receivers have to make the big catch when given the opportunity.
- WR (orange) – Crosser to a 10 yard depth. Look for the ball after you cross the middle of the field.
- TE/C (blue) – Flat route to a depth of five yards. Look for the check down pass immediately.
- Slot (green) – Wheel route up the sideline. Stay behind and outside the purple receiver, and look for the ball when they break off their post route.
- WR (purple) – Post route breaking at seven yards. Look for the ball out of your break.
- QB (red) – Find open grass looking deep to shallow. Must be able to buy 3-5 seconds for the routes to develop.
Post-Wheel results in some of the most exciting big plays you’ll have all season. The slot receiver typically gets separation for a huge gain. If not, the the post or crosser will have a wide open opportunity for a big play.
Beating the Defense
Post-Wheel is effective against any coverage their defensive coordinator will throw at you. It is an especially strong option against Man Coverage, Cover 1, and even Cover 2.
Beating Man Coverage
The ability of your Slot receiver to get separation on the wheel route is key to beating man coverage.
By design, the wheel route will place the defender in a trail position down the sideline. If that’s the case, the QB just needs to lead the receiver with the throw for a big completion.
If the wheel is covered down the sideline, purple’s post route may be open out of the break or the crosser from orange may fill open grass underneath the two deep routes.
Beating Cover 1
Cover 1 is the most vulnerable zone coverage to the Post-Wheel concept.
The underneath routes from orange and blue will occupy the shallow zone defenders, forcing the single Safety to choose which deep route to follow.
Typically, the FS goes with the post since it’s the lead route and the right CB passes off the Wheel thinking there’s help over the top. This leaves green wide open in space. The QB simply looks for open grass on the play side, and throws to the receiver that fills that space.
Beating Cover 2
The Safeties in a Cover 2 will likely take both deep routes, leaving the right CB alone to defend the orange crosser and blue flat route.
If the play side CB sits in the flat (shallow and wide), throw to the orange receiver on the crosser. If that CB sinks deep in the zone to pick up the orange route, hit blue in front of them for a quick 5+ yard catch and run.
If the LB blitzes, vacating the grass in the middle of the field, hit the crosser quickly to get one of your better athletes running free in space.
Beating Cover 3
Against Cover 3, the Safeties will be occupied with the two deep routes, leaving the right CB alone to defend the crosser and the flat route.
Although #23 Post-Wheel will reliably beat a Cover 3 for a short gain, #12 All Hitches is a more straightforward call that accomplishes the same thing. Use #23 as a change of pace if you’ve become predictable with #13.
Final Notes
Post-Wheel is a versatile option in the playbook that beats any flag football defense when executed properly. #23 is the most reliable call in the playbook when your team is facing 3rd & Long or needs to score quickly.
Call this play in any situation. Like Hank Stramm said, “It might just pop wide open.”
If you haven’t already, check out our guide to reading flag football coverages to get better at calling plays on the fly.
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