Double A Gap LB Twist Blitz

The Falcons walk up in a double A gap mug look with Nickel personnel using OLB bodies as the edge (DE) rush backers. The pressure is a variation of the classic double A gap ILB blitz.

The Rush: 

The Rush backers contain and the DTs are in the B gaps. All four are aligned wide. The DTs are wide 4i's to help force the guards to fan out and create more A gap space for the ILBs to operate. The ILB's twist in the A gaps. 

The Coverage:

Cover 1 Peel. With  6 man rush the rush has to peel with the RB if he releases into a route. The DBs to the bunch us a lock & level technique.

The Mike is aligned out over the guard while the Will is in the A gap to the RB. The alignment of the Mike forces the Center to set wide to make the block. The penetrating Will does a great job of stacking the Center before going vertical. The RB is in a bind in the protection. The Will never actually leaves his A gap but the looping Mike presents a new A gap threat. It is possible the Falcons called the twist and ran it as is based on protection game plan. The LB opposite the RB is the looper and aligns wider to influence the Center's pass set. It is also possible the ILB are using a read the center twist technique (Torch). The Rush backer to the RB does go depth and under. This could be a pass rusher reacting to being walled out of the rush by the DT getting up the field and looking for new space to pass rush. More likely this is the Rush backer playing a coverage technique to secure the RB on any interior release. Really good design from Dan Quinn. 

Corner Firezone Pressure

Atlanta comes out in a Nickel personnel with Rush LB types at the DE positions. This pressure is a simple and well executed corner corner firezone. 

The Rush:

Corner off the edge and the Will in the A gap.

The Coverage:

3 under 3 deep firezone

The walked up Mike in the A gap and the dropping Rush backer really make this blitz work. The Mike helps control the turn of the Center in the pass pro. The Center has an immediate blitz threat and sets to the field. The turn of the Center forces the RB to block the A gap blitzing Will LB while the OG and OT fan out to the DT & Rush. To the side of the pressure the Rush backer does a great job of attacking the OT before dropping into coverage. By attacking, the Rush occupies the OT. The OT is then faced with a DT pass rushing his inside half. The OT and OG end up on the DT leaving the Corner as a free runner off the edge. 

The cut split by the X receiver also helps the Corner have a shorter run on the QB. Reducing the split for the receiver to run the under makes Corner pressure a bigger threat. 

Simple concept from Dan Quinn to overload the weak side pass protection and great execution by the Falcons.  

4 Man Full Line Twist

Here is another example of a twist that was a focus of a previous post about Don Brown's defensive scheme. This example is from the Falcon divisional playoff game vs. the Seahawks.

For the specifics of the twist, check out the previous article. The coverage was backed up by a cover 1 concept from a dime personnel.

Good stuff from Dan Quinn.

Atlanta Falcons' Nickel Zone Dog

Here is a zone dog rushing the nickel the Atlanta Falcons have busted out several times this season.

The Rush:

Nickel - Contain Rush

DT - Penetrate B gap

DE - Loop to A gap

DT - Inside Rush Lane

DE - Contain Rush

The Coverage:

3 Under 3 Deep Zone

The bluff of pressure by the Mike and Will linebackers helps control the pass protection of the Center and the RB.  

Here the bluffing Mike forces the set of the Center away from the pressure. The bluffing Will attracts the block of the RB. The result is a 3 on 2 leaving the Nickel unblocked.

Here the offense motions to empty. The Center sets away from the pressure to the initial threat of the bluffing LB's. Again the result is a 3 on 2 with an unblocked nickel.

Here the looping DE beats the redirecting guard. The DE pressures the QB into sliding off his launch point in the pocket.  The Nickel is accounted for by the TE. The looping DE affects the QB buying time for the Nickel to beat the TE 1 on 1. 

The pressure has yielded good results for Dan Quinn and the Falcons.