Giving the Corner Relief in Isolation on the X in 3x1

When the Corner is isolated on the X on the backside of 3x1 formations it can be nice to find calls that help provide that Corner some form of help. In our defense we call these concepts relief calls. 

Here is an interesting example of a relief concept from the Ravens. Baltimore is in a Nickel personnel with 2 OLB, 3 DL, 1 ILB, and 5 DB's. 

The Rush:

The Nickel is edge pressuring off the slot while the rush OLB and DT work a twist game. Weak the DE is a B gap pop.

The Coverage:

3 under 3 deep firezone with the Nose spying the RB

Weak side the presence of a Rush OLB on the LOS, 4i DE, and shade Nose forces the C, G, T to set to the 3 threats. With the turn of the Center weak, the protection has 3 threats (Nickel, OLB, DT) vs. 2 OL and the scan RB strong. The twist creates confusion with the G squeezing to the most inside threat from the wrapping OLB. The OT fans to the Nickel instead of squeezing to the DT. The RB scans to the Nickel who is blocked by the OT leaving the DT on a free run. The protection has the numbers to account for the pressure but sorting it out is difficult. If sorted out the concept forces the RB to block across the formation on a full speed Nickel off the edge and the T/G to handle the twist 2 vs. 2.

The OLB walked on the LOS weak is able to key the QB's front shoulder intentions and buzz out to provide an underneath zone dropping body presence to the Corner. This prevents the Corner from having to be completely isolated in coverage and results in the interception.

The usage of the Nose as a spy on the RB is what makes this coverage execution work.

If the Ravens had truly rushed 5 and played firezone the weak seam dropping OLB is relating to the weak #2 (RB).

In this example the seam dropping Rush LB opens his drop to the #2 which leaves the Corner in isolation with the X. Why?

If the Rush were to key the QB's front shoulder intentions to the X and buzz out he could again help on quick game. However, if the QB resets his feet and throws the RB a screen or check down there is a hole in the middle of the coverage. The Seam and 3RH droppers strong are expanded to cover #2 and #3 strong. This is a specific risk as the Browns have two good RB's, screen is a threat from backed up field postion,and the Browns hit earlier in the game on both a TE screen and a RB screen. 

Notice the QB's front should intentions are initially away from the RB screen.

The decision to utilize the Nose as a spy helps solve this problem. The Seam dropping OLB can react to the front shoulder intentions of the QB and help undercut routes to the X. The Nose helps mitigate the risk on the RB screen and check down.

The usage of the Nose as a spy shows up in many defensive schemes.

This example is a completely different pressure pattern but illustrates another application of the concept. This example is from the Rex Ryan/Mike Pettine Jets. The current Baltimore scheme has crossover with the schemes of Rex/Rob Ryan.

The usage of the Nose as a spy not only helps the OLB provide relief to the Corner in coverage. It also:

1. Gives the Nose a coverage responsibility the Nose can execute and has a reasonable installation cost. Teaching a Nose a hook zone drop would be much more expensive to teach for example.

2. Helps manipulate the pass protection. The Center is occupied throughout the pressure mirroring the movements of the Nose. If the Nose drops off the LOS into coverage, the Center can potentially reset and provide help elsewhere in the protection specifically helping with the wrapping OLB from the pressure side. With the Center occupied with the spy Nose, the Center is a non-factor.

Really nice pressure design and usage of Nose spy from Baltimore Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale. 

Cover 3 Safety Sim Pressure

 The Ravens are in a specialized pass rush Dime Personnel on 3rd & 5.

The Rush:

The DE's are contain with the Nose working away from the pressure. The Safety is pressuring the weak side inside pass rush line.

The Coverage:

Sting - 3 Under 3 deep Firezone with a free/bonus dropper to create 4 under 3 deep concept.

With the mugged up A/B gap threats and the safety bluffing pressure strong the OL slides to the strong side rush threats. The slide allows for the pressure safety running through on the RB 1on1. The coverage creates confusion also. The initial look is 1 high pressure, but when the post aligned safety rotates down the look simulates a zero pressure. The QB has to ID one safety rotating down while the other is popping the top to the post. 1 high coverage that rotate to 1 high can be difficult to quickly ID under pressure. 

In coverage the free/bonus dropper is able to collision the #3 receiver which helps make the 3RH droppers job easier. The seam droppers hang in the seams as opposed to expanding to the flats.

Nice pressure design from Wink Martindale.

Cover 3 Sim Pressure vs Empty

The Ravens are in Nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE vs. 12 personnel empty on 2nd & Long.

The Rush:

The front is spaced like an even front in over G. The Mike walks up running a twist game with the DT. The 2i DT is looping to contain opposite the pressure.

The Coverage:

Sting Concept - Sting is a 3 under 3 deep firezone with a 4th dropper as the free/bonus dropper. The end result is a 4 under 3 deep 3 buzz like coverage.

Here is another example of Sting vs. Empty from the Rex Ryan/Mike Pettine. 

The OL is in a 5 man protection. The usage of the DT in a G helps influence the Center. The Center is looking to give the guard help with an inside shaded DL. When the Mike walks up the defense has 3 rushers overloading 2 blockers. The Center is forced to redirect to a full speed inside LB. The T/G do a nice job squeezing inside to take the most inside threats. The G loses his 1on1 but the T/G do a nice job of taking the 2 most inside threats and leaving the widest rusher. The QB drifts away from the unblocked rusher to give the protection a chance. 

Without knowing the call the coverage is difficult to tell. I think it is Sting because of other sim pressure concepts the Ravens have run as well as the coaching tree Wink Martindale comes from. However, this could also be 3 buzz with 2 Curl-Flat and 2 hook droppers.

Why differentiate between sting and 3 buzz? Playing a sting concept allows the defense to maintain it's firezone coverage principles when bringing 4 instead of 5. The Ravens bring 5 and play fire zone regularly. A concept like sting can help eliminate complexity. It can be easier on players to stay this is fire zone with a free/bonus dropper when rushing 4 instead of a different coverage like 3 Buzz. The 5th rusher is simply replaced by the free/bonus dropper in Sting to create the 4 under 3 deep coverage.

Nice job creating pressure with a non-traditional 4 man pass rush from the Ravens and Wink Martindale. 

Cover 3 Sim Pressure

The Ravens are in a Dime personnel on 2nd & 10.

The Rush:

Both DT's are slanting to balance the pass rush with the ILB pressuring the B gap and the Rush LB as contain.

The Coverage:

Sting - Sting is a 3 under 3 deep fire zone coverage concept with a bonus free dropper

The protection is a 5 man scat protection with the RB free releasing into a route. The presentation from the Ravens controls the turn of the Center. The OL are looking for the 5 most dangerous rushers. The 5 up look makes the OL account for the 5 defenders on the LOS first and foremost. The Guard to the pressure side is forced to block the 3 tech on the inside movement with C-G-T setting opposite the pressure.  There is no guarantee the Center will be able to provide any help. Once the weak side DT works out the Center ends up freed up. Even with the Center able to help, the Center and Guard would have a difficult time redirecting to pick up the DT and ILB on the pressure once they set to the initial threats. The Center would need to redirect to the DT on the inside move from the pressure side and bump the Guard out to the B gap ILB. That is a difficult and unlikely redirection and pick up scenario. The OT has the Rush LB on the edge when the ILB pressures the B gap adding a second threat creating a 2 on 1. The OT makes a threat assessment and blocks the more dangerous of the two. The inside rusher is the bigger threat with the fastest path to the QB. The OT sets the ILB leaving the edge rusher unblocked. This is the value of a sim pressure. There are very few times a traditional 4 man rush results in the OL being forced to cut a DE/OLB edge rusher free on a run at the QB. Simulated/creeper pressures create this type of stress on pass protection. 

The coverage appears to be a Sting concept that shows up in the Ryan coaching tree.  Baltimore Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale has coaching crossover with Rex at the University of Cincinnati and with Rob with the Raiders from '04-'08 . Without knowing the call it is difficult to be absolutely sure the coverage is Sting but this clip creates an opportunity to discuss the coverage. Here is an example from the Rex Ryan/Mike Pettine Jets. 

This example is a completely different personnel package and front structure but the coverage is the Sting concept. The coverage is using the firezone distribution with a bonus free player. This is different from a 4 under 3 deep cover 3 with 2 hook droppers and 2 curl-flat droppers. The 3 under are playing seam-3RH-seam  fire zone coverage but adding the bonus dropper as a free player. The free player's role can be game planned up to fit the opponent. In the clip the free player collisions the #3 before zoning off. This concept is very disruptive to 2/3 route combinations in a 3x1 formation. The collision of the free play also buys time for the 3RH to work from the opposite B gap mug alignment to the #3's route. For the protection manipulation to work the 3RH hook player alignment and drop put him in conflict. The free player's technique helps mitigate some of that conflict. 

Nice sim pressure design from Wink Martindale.

Bear Front Twist Pressure

Baltimore is in a specialized pass rush personnel on 3rd & 10. The package is a 2-3-6 made up of 1 DT, 1 DE, 3 OLBs, 3 Safeties, and 3 Corners.

The personnel is in an interesting spacing the 3 OLB bodies listed in the diagram as R for Rush backers are all on the same side of the formation. The strong side edge rusher is a Safety body instead of an OLB body.

The Rush:

5 Man rush with 2 edge rushers and an interior 3 man twist game. Both down DL are slanting with a looping blitzer over the top.

The Coverage:

Coverage Zero with a hole dropping ILB

The bear front spacing would force many protections into man blocking making every OL 1 on 1. Instead the Bills full slide the protection with the RB cross blocking for the edge rushing Safety. The looping blitzer is able to pressure the space between the slide of the OL and the RB on the edge forcing a difficult redirection block for the OT in the slide. The outside rushers build edges while the interior twist pushes to collapse the pocket. The twist is unexpected. The likely 3 man twist from bear front is to have the Nose and a 3 tech penetrating and one 3 tech looping. The Ravens using the off the LOS linebacker as the looper is a nice variation. 

The coverage does an excellent job. The bunch side corner mans the outside receiver and gets help from the dropout LB in the hole. The safety manned on the RB also flashes through the window to help deter throws inside against a Corner who is out leveraged on inside breaks. The Nickel presses the point rerouting before manning the off the LOS receiver. The jam on the point helps the deep safety pick up the point receiver's route and disrupts the timing of the overall route combination. Backside the off man tech of the corner denies the X.

This type of bear front pressure with an interior three man twist has been popular for a long time. Here are three examples of a similar concept featured in the past from Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia Tech.

Really nice variation of a tried and true pressure concept from Wink Martindale and the Ravens.