Post-Wheel
Post and wheel high-low on the boundary defender
- Read #1
- Reads 2+
- Checkdown
- Telestrator
The outside receiver runs a post at 15-18 yards while the slot (or a back on a delayed release) runs a wheel route, initially releasing to the flat, then turning vertical along the sideline. It is at its best against single-high man and Cover 2: the wheel runs away from a linebacker or nickel trailing the back while the post holds the safety inside, so the boundary defender is stretched vertically with no help over the top. Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs are the gold standard modern practitioners.
Reads
5 ROUTESTap a route to trace it on the field.
Read progression
Read the deep defender to the wheel side: the half safety in Cover 2, the man defender on the slot or back in Cover 1. If he stays with the post, the wheel is open along the sideline. If he widens to the wheel, hit the post breaking inside. The drag is the checkdown.
Why it works
Vs Cover 1 the wheel is THE man-beater: the LB or nickel trailing the slot or back gets beat to the boundary while the post occupies the FS. Vs Cover 2 the deep-half safety and CB face a high-low conflict: the post from the outside receiver threatens the safety inside while the wheel stretches the CB vertically along the boundary.
Conflict defender
The deep-half safety, must choose between sinking with the post inside or carrying the wheel up the boundary
Origin
Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs are the gold standard modern practitioners. Reid's "4 Strong Post-Wheel Flood" puts four receivers to one side.
Post-Wheel vs coverages
10 RATED- Cover 1Beats it
The wheel is THE Cover 1 beater: the linebacker or nickel on the slot trails inside on the wheel runner and gets beat to the boundary.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Man-coverage defender on the wheel runner (SAM/nickel)
Why the offense wins. The wheel is THE Cover 1 beater: the linebacker or nickel on the slot trails inside on the wheel runner and gets beat to the boundary. The post from the outside receiver occupies the FS, removing deep help.
Key adjustment. Switch the wheel responsibility to the CB at the snap, or play robber to take away the post and free the FS to help on the wheel.
- Cover 2Beats it
The wheel runs up the boundary on the corner sitting in the short flat, while the post holds the deep-half safety inside, so no one carries the wheel vertically.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Boundary cornerback (flat/quarter)
Why the offense wins. The wheel runs up the boundary on the corner sitting in the short flat, while the post holds the deep-half safety inside, so no one carries the wheel vertically.
Key adjustment. Squat the corner on the wheel and rotate the deep-half safety over the top, conceding the post-hole throw.
- Cover 2 ManEdge
The wheel is a textbook man-beater vs the linebacker trailing the slot, the post pulls the deep half to clear.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. SAM in man on the wheel runner
Why the offense wins. The wheel is a textbook man-beater vs the linebacker trailing the slot, the post pulls the deep half to clear.
Why the defense wins. Two-deep safeties provide help over the top — the post is bracketed.
Key adjustment. Swap the wheel responsibility from the LB to a safety dropping down.
- Cover 3Edge
The post pulls the FS off the middle while the wheel climbs the sideline behind a curl/flat defender who has no reason to carry it vertical; if the deep-third CB settles flat-footed or peeks the post, the wheel runs by him.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Deep-third cornerback (wheel side)
Why the offense wins. The post pulls the FS off the middle while the wheel climbs the sideline behind a curl/flat defender who has no reason to carry it vertical; if the deep-third CB settles flat-footed or peeks the post, the wheel runs by him.
Why the defense wins. A disciplined deep-third CB stays over the top of the wheel and passes the post to the FS — zone eyes beat the double move.
Key adjustment. Keep the deep-third corner over the top of the wheel and pass the post to the FS.
- Tampa 2Edge
The wheel still beats the boundary CB's vertical carry, the post stresses the safety inside.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Deep-half safety
Why the offense wins. The wheel still beats the boundary CB's vertical carry, the post stresses the safety inside.
Why the defense wins. The MIKE's deep drop can help on the post if the safety commits to the wheel.
Key adjustment. Have the half safety carry the wheel up the sideline while the MIKE's deep drop takes the post.
- Cover 0Toss-up
Six-man pressure usually beats the wheel timing — the back gets sucked into pass-pro or the QB has to throw hot.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. SAM in man on the wheel runner
Why the offense wins. The wheel is the textbook beater of a linebacker in man, and Cover 0 puts a linebacker on the slot or back running it.
Why the defense wins. Six-man pressure usually beats the wheel timing — the back gets sucked into pass-pro or the QB has to throw hot.
Key adjustment. Bring six; the back gets held in protection or the QB has to throw hot before the wheel turns up.
- Cover 4Toss-up
A clean exchange has the safety take the post as #1 bends inside and the corner sink to the wheel, leaving only the drag into a hook zone.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Quarters corner (post/wheel exchange with the safety)
Why the offense wins. The post from #1 pulls the corner inside while the wheel from #2 starts flat and turns up the sideline behind him; if the corner and safety do not switch cleanly, the wheel runs free up the boundary.
Why the defense wins. A clean exchange has the safety take the post as #1 bends inside and the corner sink to the wheel, leaving only the drag into a hook zone.
Key adjustment. Make the switch call early: the safety takes the post, the corner sinks to the wheel.
- Cover 6Toss-up
Field-side Cover 4 brackets both routes.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Deep coverage on wheel side
Why the offense wins. Wheel can win on the Cover 2 boundary side as the CB sinks with the flat.
Why the defense wins. Field-side Cover 4 brackets both routes.
Key adjustment. Have the Cover 2 side corner sink with the wheel and the half safety take the post.
- BracketToss-up
If the post is bracketed, nothing displaces the deep coverage — the wheel-side defender can squeeze the wheel with no post conflict to honor.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Bracket safety
Why the offense wins. The wheel is the secondary read and usually not bracketed.
Why the defense wins. If the post is bracketed, nothing displaces the deep coverage — the wheel-side defender can squeeze the wheel with no post conflict to honor.
Key adjustment. Set the bracket on the post runner; without the post pulling the deep coverage, the wheel-side defender squeezes the wheel.
- Palms / ClampTough
Palms reads #2 to the flat, so the corner takes the wheel from the start and the safety snaps onto the post; the wheel then runs up the sideline into a corner who already has it.Show reasoning
Conflict defender. Palms corner trapping #2 to the flat
Why the offense wins. If the corner jumps the flat and the safety is late to #1, the post splits the middle; the wheel turning up on a squatting corner is the shot.
Why the defense wins. Palms reads #2 to the flat, so the corner takes the wheel from the start and the safety snaps onto the post; the wheel then runs up the sideline into a corner who already has it.
Key adjustment. Have the corner take #2 to the flat and carry the wheel up the sideline while the safety matches the post.