Swipe - 2 Man Variation

Nice example of Swipe coverage concept from the Jets. NY is in a Bear front spacing from a 2-3-6 personnel. The hand down DE's are both LB bodies. The X backer is DE.

The Rush:
Both 3 techniques are on the inside penetrator rush with the X backer and Nose looping to contain.

The Coverage:
2 trial man with a weak side swipe technique

The coverage disguise shows a 1 high concept. From the look a 2man coverage looks like a low probability. The down safety uses a swipe technique running out to the trail man assignment on the outside WR. Really good execution and punch out on the comeback by the down Safety. QB reads a 1 high coverage with a bail corner and tries to hit the comeback only to throw into an unexpected trail man player.

The Swipe terms shows up in the old Buddy Ryan defenses. Jets Defensive Coordinator worked for Buddy with the Houston Oilers in the early 90's.

The Swipe coverage tool is a nice option to be able to disguise coverage concepts but still play 2man. Allowsing box players to run out into trail man also allows defense to create presentation to manipulate pass protections while still playing 2man coverage. The coverage can be used to run out to slot sets as well as the diagram with player over #2 showing a zone coverage alignment relating to #2 or zoning the Curl-Flat. The Corner and SS can both run out in this example with the Corner in the Deep 1/2.

Good stuff from Gregg Williams. 

Max Drop Tampa 2

Here is an example of an 8 man drop Tampa 2 coverage concept. The Jets are in a 
4-2-5 Nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE on 3rd&7.

The Rush:
3 man rush with DT's on a interior twist game. The 3 tech is a penetrator while the Nose is 2nd looping over the top.

The Coverage:
8 man drop Tampa 2 

The initial pre-snap picture is a 4 man rush 2 high safety concept. The offense knows if the weak side safety says weak to play a cover 2 concept in a 4 man rush defense the place to attack is strong side. The safety working weak means the defense has the offense outnumbered weakside.

This is a problem area of 4 man rush Tampa 2 coverage vs. 3x1 formations. By playing the safety weak the QB's progression goes strong. In a 4 man rush Tampa 2 call there is a soft spot over the #3 receiver's initial alignment extending inside underneath the hole dropping LB. That area can be attacked by any of the strong side receivers depending on the route combination. The weak hook player can squeeze strong but doing so weakens the weak side coverage on any 2 man route combos between the X receiver & the RB. 

The Jets instead use a 3 man rush to mitigate the stress area in Tampa 2 coverage vs. a 3x1 formation. The Jets use the OLB aligned as the strong side DE to drop out on the #3 receiver. The 8 man drop is unexpected from the pre-snap even front presentation which is likely a man 4 pass rush based on alignment. Post-snap the coverage has a safety working weak which takes the QB's eyes strong. The OLB dropping combined with the Tampa 2 coverage is a strong side 5 on 3 advantage for the defense. When the strong side routes are denied by the overloaded coverage, the QB works back weak. The throw is late to the RB on the check release and an immediate tackle by the flat defending Corner for a gain of 1. 4th down - Punt.

Good stuff from Gregg Williams to dial up an unexpected 8 man drop Tampa 2 to get off the field on 3rd down.

Middle Overload Zone Pressure

Here is a really nice example of a middle overload zone pressure and great FZ coverage technique from the Jets. The defense is a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE.

The Rush:

Both mugged up A  gap linebackers rush their gaps. Both DT's work outside to contain. The Safety walked down shows man coverage on the TE. The Safety loops inside to the midline to rush following and fitting off the two A gap rushers creating a triple inside overload.

The Coverage:

3 Under 3 Deep

The double mugged A gap look forces the OL into 1 on 1 blocks across the board and forces the RB to pick up an A gap rush threat. With both DE's dropping out into coverage the OT's eventually pick up the contain DT's. The OG has a very difficult redirect pass set from the DT to the full speed Safety on the midline. Final result is the LB and Safety creating a 2 on 1 vs. the RB and a pressure in the QB's face.

The coverage is excellent. The Corners are playing a matching tight 1/3 technique on the outside receivers. The Nickel is carrying the #2's vertical release. Matching aggressive coverage outside allows the Safety to be aggressive from the post on the #3 receiver. The top down technique of the post safety forces the route of the TE to flatten allowing the weak side seam dropper to intercept the crossing route. The 3RH dropper passes off the #3 to the opposite seam dropper. With the RB blocking strong the seam player can zone off allowing the strong DE to pass the crosser to his help on the weak side. The strong DE relates to the final 3 (RB) while the weak side DE is able to cover the final #2 in the seam (TE crosser).

Nice execution of the pressure and coverage from the Jets. Good stuff from Gregg Williams.

Tampa 2 Sim Pressure

Here is a well designed sim pressure from the NY Jets.

The Jet are in a nickel personnel with 2 DL, 3 ILB, 1 OLB (X) and 5 DB bodies.

The Rush:

Up & under pass rush from the DE's and edge pressure from the nickel and weak side safety.

The Coverage:

The pre-snap presentation is 1 high. Post snap the coverage rotates to a Tampa 2 variation.

The walked up LB bodies inside help hold the protection inside. The up & under by the DE's helps create short edges for the DB's. Creative design with excellent disguise from the Jets and Gregg Williams.

Overload Cover 2 Pressure

The Browns are in Nickel personnel with Rush LB bodies. The spacing is an odd front with both Rush LB's on the same side. 

The Rush:

4 man rush with the 2 DT's on long sticks. Off the edge the inside DB is up the field with the outside rusher working up an under.

The Coverage:

The pre-snap presentation is a 1 high middle of the field closed. Post snap the coverage rotates to a 5 under 2 deep with the weak side using an inverted cover 2 concept. The OLB is in the flat and the corner is in the deep 1/2.

The Browns present 8 possible rushers near the LOS pre-snap. Ultimately the rush is an overloaded 4 man pass rush with a 7 man drop. The pressure side 5 tech makes life difficult for the opposite guard. The guard is reacting to the nose looping to contain and sets outside first. Forcing an OL to set and redirect increases the degree of difficulty. Creative pressure design from Gregg Williams.  

Blitz of the Week #15

This blitz was dialed up by Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in their wildcard game vs. the Seahawks. The blitz is a variation of the NCAA blitz but uses a Corner as the widest rusher instead of an outside linebacker.

The DE to the blitz is long sticking to the A gap and the OLB and Corner are coming off the edge. Williams is calling a man free coverage to create an overload. The two inside linebackers have man responsibilities on the running backs. The inside linebackers execute a key rush or rush to cover technique on the backs. The technique is simple, at the snap rush the back. If the back attempts to release into a route cover him. If the back attempts to set up for a screen the key rusher should be behind the releasing offensive linemen making screens to the RB difficult. If the running back picks up the other rushers the key rusher can add to the rush creating an overload. 

Here the Saints overload the right side that has 4 blockers by bringing what turns into 5 from a side. With the running backs picking up the blitzers the key rushing linebackers are unblocked.

Video of this blitz can be seen here.

If the backs had split instead the inside linebackers would have still been in the rush and an overload would still be created. Only this time the overload would be a 4 from a side blitz vs. 3 blockers.