On Thursday night the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used a post/wheel combination for two of their biggest completions of the game, and on both throws Tom Brady put the football on the back shoulder of his receiver.
To get into the end zone early on Sunday in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Eagles used a similar concept, but quarterback Jalen Hurts showed fans the other way to execute the design.
Facing a 3rd-and-4 in the high red zone, the Eagles aligned with Hurts as the only player in the backfield, putting three receivers to the right and a pair of receivers to the left. Rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith aligned in the slot, with tight end Zach Ertz outside of him. Just prior to the snap, Ertz motions inside, putting him in close proximity to Smith as the play begins.
The tight end runs what looks to be a slant, while Smith runs the wheel route. This two-receiver concept, termed in some playbooks as simply “Rub,” gives the quarterback two ways to execute the throw. If the defensive back over the wheel route goes over the top, the QB throws the wheel route to the back shoulder. If the defender tries to come underneath, then the QB leads the receiver downfield.
On this play, the slant route from Ertz creates traffic, and cornerback Fabian Moreau runs right into the tight end. Seeing this, Hurts throws to Smith over the top, and the receiver accelerates away from Moreau who tries desperately to close the gap. But he cannot get there in time:
DEVONTA SMITH, WELCOME TO THE NFL#PHIvsATL
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 12, 2021
A well-timed play call, executed to perfection by the quarterback and his rookie wide receiver.