Defending Sail Route in Cover 3

The 2017 Titans are in 3-4 personnel playing a 4 man rush Cover 3.

The Browns are in a 12 personnel bunch running a naked off zone blocking with a 3 level sail route to the the strong side.

The sail route is designed to put the strong C-F player in a high low bind. The Corner is gone with the 7 route. The C-F defender is shown a hard run action. This helps control the depth of his drop. Next the C-F defender is being quickly out leveraged to the flat. If the C-F defender stays low on flat route the crossing route will be open behind him and under the deep 1/3 Corner. Sail route is a stress route on cover 3 for this reason.

The Titans use some nice techniques to mitigate the stress area in Cover 3.

The strong side C-F defender uses a sail technique. Initially he runs to the flat route. As he regains leverage on the route he opens his hips inside and gains depth. This gives him the vision to the see the QB and work into the throw window to the crosser. The post safety uses a nail down technique. The Safety comes out of the post and takes over the crossing route. The Corner replaces the Safety in the post. The nail down not only helps cover the crosser it also helps flatten his route. If the crosser attempted to climb to gain more depth over the C-F defender the nail down Safety can undercut the route. The crossing route's depth helps the sail technique C-F defender make the play.

Great stuff from the master Dick Lebeau in is final NFL season.