Interesting Cover 2 Zone Pressure

Here is an interesting Cover 2 zone pressure concept from Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers.

The pressure is from a 3-2-6 personnel package. In old playbook material Coach Capers called this personnel Dollar Personnel which is a variation of a dime personnel grouping.

Initially the Packers represent 2 walked up rushing LB's and a possible rush from the Dime. The coverage is showing a 2 high safety shell.

The expected blitz pick up for the offense is for the OL to block the immediate gap threats and the RB to scan across the formation to pick up the possible Dime rush threat. With the defense presenting no 4th rush threat from the weak side the RB is free to scan to the strong side. During the cadence the defense shifts.

The pressure the Packers actually brought defies the initial expectations of the offense.

The Rush:
Ends - Up and under to an inside rush lane
T- Middle Rush
Nickle - Contain Rush
SS - Roll down to Contain Rush

The Coverage:
Corners - Flat
Dime - Pop the top to the Deep 1/2
FS - Weak side Deep 1/2
Backers - Zone dropping to #2 & #3 strong side

The shift by the defense created confusion for the protection. The RG's eyes shift inside as the LB shifts from walked up outside to being aligned in the core. The Guard set inside because he is looking inside. Once the RG set inside the protection had serious problems. The RT is forced to stay locked on the DE which allows the SS to come free off the edge. The RB thought he was scanning initially so he continues to scan. The timing of the pressure prevents the RB from seeing, processing, and adjusting to the threat of the SS.

 The coverage also defies expectation. If the QB tires to attack a perceived weak side 1 on 1 match up in coverage there is actually a 2 on 1 concept. Traditional thinking is that if a defense is in a 2 high safety shell and rotates a safety down the coverage MUST be a 1 high coverage. The Packers break that rule. The FS rotating also indicates a 1 high safety but the FS isn't rotating to the deep middle and is instead rotating to a deep 1/2. The flat defending corner to the strong side is also a surprise and forces the QB to double clutch the throw to the strong side flat buying time for the the pressure.

This pressure could be easily run from a traditional 3-4 personnel set.

What the pressure loses is the manipulation of the protection and the disguise of the coverage. Many OL's & RB's can process and pick up this basic pressure. Many QB's can understand this coverage concept. Creative ways to make basic pressure concepts very difficult to pick up is what makes the NFL pressure schemes so effective.

Attacking 7 Man Pass Protection

Seven man pass protection schemes are utilized by offenses for a number of reasons: 

• To allow for deeper/longer developing routes 
• To create a sense of security and confidence in the protection for the QB
• To simplify the protection scheme by eliminating dual read pass protectors 
• To prevent the defense from forcing a hot throw
• To have numbers against 5 and 6 man pressure schemes 
• To give the OL help vs. DL stunts or a dominate pass rusher

Often our defensive plan vs. 7 man pass pro is to use a base pass rush and drop 7 into coverage. While that may be a good plan, what are some potential pitfalls? The defense may have a bad match up on deep routes. If the offense has a WR that can beat a DB 1 on 1, the offense can exploit that with a protection scheme that allows the WR the time to beat the DB. 7 man pro also allows the offense to run double move routes like Out&Up or Post-Corner. Multiple move routes can be difficult to cover even for the most talented DB's. Also the protection may allow for routes to work into soft spots in the zone coverage and get open. Bottom line is it is frustrating to drop 7 vs. a 3 man route and still give up a completion. So what is plan B?

Here is one solution. The NY Giants were defending a 3rd & 10 against the Ravens. The Ravens came out in a 2 back formation and used a 7 man protection. 

The outside receivers ran 15 yard out cuts. The #2 ran vertical into the middle of the field. This route can attack 1 high safety coverages like cover 3 or cover 1 by isolating the corners vs. the deep outs. Similarly the out routes attack the corners vs. quarters and robber coverage. Against cover 2 the defense can play high low coverage vs. the outs with flat coverage corners and deep 1/2 safeties making the outs difficult to throw. In that case, the middle of the field route by #2 is there to attack a cover 2 concept by splitting the safeties. This type of route could be difficult to cover even with 7 players in coverage.

Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's solution, rush 8. The Giants are using 4-2-5 nickel personnel.

The Rush:

DE's - Contain

Left DT - A gap

Right DT - Bull rush Guard

Nickel - B gap

Mike - A gap

Will - Inside B gap

$ - Outside B gap

The Coverage:

Cover zero man with the pass rush covering any back that steps up to block them.

You can see the left DE (#54) take the RB in coverage when the RB stepped up to block him.

Some of you may be thinking, "Really, this article is saying the way to attack 7 man pass pro is to rush 8. Wow, thanks so much. I could have never thought of that on my own." Fair point, but I do think the conversation is deeper. 

One of the reasons this site exists is that I wanted to have meaningful discussion about pressure and blitzing. Look in any playbook or go to a clinic and you will see diagrams of interesting pressures. Take for example:

This is an 8 man pressure called Rattler from one of the Nick Saban playbooks floating around on the internet. I'm interested in the blitz and how it works. Even more, I'm interested in how, why, and when to use this blitz. Those are questions I'm trying to answer and the discussions I'm interested in having. 

As the season is coming to an end, we will begin the off-season process of self-scouting and planning for next season. Part of that process is a playbook inventory or what we will need or not need for next year. I think having an 8 man pressure concept or two is worthwhile. Do we need 5 or 10 of them? I'm highly doubtful of that, but 1 or 2 seems possible. Why? I think one of the offensive trends going forward is going to be more 7 man protection drop back pass. 

All the teams we face are spread. The bulk of the pass game is quick game, RPO, and WR screen. Teams are investing less and less in deeper drop back route concepts and protections. Even the 5 step concepts we see are all quick 5 step designed to get the ball out as soon as the QB plants on his 5th step.  Six man pass protection schemes are complex and require a big investment. The pass blocking technique and blitz pickup take a big chunk of an offense's weekly practice time. If teams are going to continue to invest heavily in read run schemes and RPO's, something else is going to have to get less time.Teams will however still want to take deep shots and have a way to throw drop back. Having 7 man pass pro as a way to do that seems logical. The protection has simple rules, is sound, and could require less investment than 6 man drop back protection.  

Many of these spread teams are using 11 or 20 personnel with a H back type that can align anywhere and play the role of a 2nd back, WR, or TE. A 7 man protection can easily be run from these types of personnels and formations. We are already seeing some 7 man pro from these teams and I think we will see more. Having an 8 man pressure to attack these concepts is something to consider this off-season. Are we going to plan for an 8 man pressure vs. all 2 back looks and down and distances, no probably not. I do think having a plan B for 7 man pass protection is a good reason to have an 8 man pressure in our blitz package. Maybe it's a reason to consider having one in your's too.

Tampa 2 Pressure

Here is a concept used by Coach Schiano during his time with the Buccaneers. The pressure is a non-traditional 4 man pass rush. The coverage is a variation of Tampa 2. 

Traditional Tampa 2 uses the Corners in the Flat with 2 Hook droppers. The Mike LB is running deep to the Middle Read to help cover routes attempting to split the deep 1/2 safeties. 

The Buccaneers use a Nickel personnel to play a version of Tampa 2 coverage. 

The Rush:
Mike & Will - Aligned in A gaps reading the turn of the Center. When the Center blocks away the LB goes. When the Center blocks toward the LB drops off and spies/rushes. 

The spy/rush technique helps the defense control the middle check down route to the RB which is a stress area of Tampa 2 coverage. The spy can also help take away RB screen and QB scramble. If the RB blocks the LB can add to the pressure to create a 4 man rush.

DT - Rush through B gap to contain

The Coverage:
Corners - Flat
DE's - Hook
SS - Middle Read
Nickel - Pop the Top to the Deep 1/2
FS - Bluffs rotation to the deep middle and plays the Deep 1/2

The pass rush does a good job of attacking the RB in protection.

By showing the double A gap pressure the defense forces the RB to block an A gap LB on a clean run through. No matter who the Center blocks the other LB is attacking the back. Here the Center blocked to the Mike resulting in the Will getting to run through. The Mike then executes the spy/rush technique. Once the RB blocks the Mike adds to the pass rush to create a 2 on 1 vs. the RB. This is very similar to the overload situations created in Coach Schiano's Green Dog schemes.

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Attacking Coverage with a Weak Side Triangle Read

The read progression:
#1 Curl - 3 step stick outside foot to an inside stem, snap off and come back at 12 yds
#2 Flat - get width before depth, gain depth to 4 yards. Settle outside numbers
#3 Shallow Spot - Release at heels of DL, climb to 5 yds as you cross center. Spot is over opposite OT.
#4 QB run

The route creates a weak side triangle read for the QB.

VS. 1 High Coverage

Against Cover 1 or a match up Cover 3 the throw should go to the #1 read Curl route. The H is gaining width quickly to open the window. The L should stick his outside foot on the 3rd step and stem inside. The goal is to get the corner on top the route, with his hips open and running before the curl breaks off. 

Against a 1 high zone coverage, the H back is again trying to open the curl's window. If the curl is available the ball is going there. This happens when the Hook defender (here the Will LB) does not expand.

The Curl-Flat defender may hang in the curl's window. In this case the throw goes to the #2 read H on the flat route.

In a zone if the Curl-Flat defender and the Hook defender both expand the throw is going to the Spot route on the inside of the triangle.

For the coverage to take away all 3 reads, the strong side Hook player must work weak with the Spot route. By check releasing the A back into the strong flat the QB has a natural escape lane.  The spot route controls the Strong Hook dropper (Mike) and the check release by the A back widens the strong Curl-Flat defender (SS).The 4th read is to tuck the ball and run. 

VS. 2 High Coverage

Against a weak side cover 2 or 2 read concept the corner has good leverage on the Flat route. The Hook dropper should be able to drop into the window of the Curl. If the Curl is open the ball is going there but it is unlikely. This most likely brings the read to the Spot route. 

Against a Quarters coverage concept there may be double coverage on the Curl. If the Curl does a good job of selling the stick and pushing the safety the curl may be able to break underneath the safety. If the curl is open that is where the ball is going.

More likely vs. Quarters the Safety will close the window to the curl. The flat player is expanding with the Flat route. This brings the read back to the Spot route. 

In a 2 high coverage the Spot route is 1 on 1 with the Mike. If the Mike works weak to take the Spot route the QB goes to his 4th read of run. 

VS. Pressure

The H back on the Flat route is the hot throw. The protection is a 6 man check release. The most common way to force a hot throw is to bring 2 rushers to the side of the A back.

If the coverage is man the weak side safety has the flat route 1 on 1.

If the coverage is a fire zone the LB is the Seam or Scif dropper vs. a 2x2. Again the H back is expected to win 1 on 1.


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Greg Schiano Green Dog Pressure Concepts

Here are a couple of Coach Schiano's pressure concepts from his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm curious to see if these are similar to the pressure concepts that show up on film at Ohio State next season. This post focuses on green dog* overload concepts designed to create a 2 rusher vs. 1 running back overload. 

*Green Dog - 5 man rush using man free coverage. The player responsible for the RB in man coverage has the green light to become a pass rusher if the RB blocks in pass protection

The Rush: 
Ends - Contain Rush
Tackle - Long stick to opposite A
Nose - Loop to B
Will - Rush B Gap

The Coverage:
Sam - Man on TE
Corners - Man #1
SS - Man #2
FS - Free in MOF

Mike is the green dog player. His coverage responsibility is man coverage on the RB. As the RB blocks the rushing Will the Mike joins the pass rush. The effect is 2 rushers through the B gap and a 2 on 1 vs. the RB.

The offense is in a 7 man pass protection and should have good numbers to block the defense. To the right the offense has 4 (TE, OT, OG, C) to block the 4 possible rushers to the right of the Center (Sam, DE, Nose, Mike). To the left of Center the protection has RB for Will and the OT and OG for the DT and DE. 

The issue is the LG is setting on the DT and initially is responsible for the DT on the inside move to the A gap. Once the DT keeps going to the opposite A gap the Guard can pass him off. By the time the OG realizes the DT needs to get passed off, he doesn't have time to redirect and block the Mike. The protection uses 5 (G,C,G,T,TE) to block 3 (DT, Nose, DE).

Here is another example from a dime sub personnel package.

The Rush: 
Ends - Contain Rush
Tackle & Nose - Rush A Gap
Mike - Rush B Gap

The Coverage:
Corners - Man #1
SS & Nickel - Man #2
FS - Free in MOF

Dime is the green dog player. The Dime shows pressure in his B gap and loops to the block of the running back post-snap. The effect is again a 2 on 1 overload on the RB in the B gap.

The the offense is in a 6 man pass protection. The LG sets to block the Dime while providing body position on the DT in the A gap. The Center is in a bind here. He must snap the ball and hit a pass set with 2 DT's aligned on him. The Guards need to help him or risk an interior double bull rush in the middle of the protection. 

The rush plays out like a DL twist. Pass protections are unlikely to expect a Dime to be involved in a twist action post snap. The OL could squeeze the protection back to the right once the Dime loops. The issues are multiple:

#1 The G,C,G all have to work in unison

#2 The LG was body positioning and helping the Center, which left the RG 1 on 1 with the Nose. The RG took an aggressive set to block the Nose. Having the RG come off the aggressive set and redirect to the Dime is very difficult.

#3 The RG on a redirect would have to set through the traffic of the RB blocking the Mike.

#4 If the G,C,G screw up on the redirect the result is an interior DL on a run through to the QB. Basic rule of pass pro is to always protect the shortest path (inside straight line) to the QB. 

Here is an example using a deep safety as the green dog player.

The Rush: 
Ends - Contain Rush
Tackle - Rush B Gap
Nose - Loop to B Gap
Mike - Rush A Gap

The Coverage:
Corners - Man #1
Nickel - Man #2
FS - Free in MOF
Will - Man on RB

SS is the green dog player. SS adds to the rush from depth as the RB blocks.

Here is an example using the a DE as the green dog player.

The Rush: 
End - Contain Rush
Tackle - B gap to Contain
Nose - Opposite A
Mike - Rush A Gap (1st)
Will - Rush opposite B Gap (2nd)

The Coverage:
Corners - Man #1
Sam - Man TE
FS - Free in MOF
SS - Man on hip aligned wing

DE is the green dog player. 

The offense is in a 7 man protection and has the numbers to block all 7 possible rush threats in the core.

By looping the DE the protection is forced into very difficult blocks. The guard ends up 1 on 1 against the rushing Mike because the Center is occupied with the Nose. The Will and End have a 2 on 1 vs. the RB. The offense could again try to redirect to pick up this rush but the complexity level to identify what is happening is very high. Also redirecting to pick this pressure up would require tremendous athleticism by the OL.

Here is a good example of the defense using the green dog while doing a good job of disguising where the pressure is coming from.

The Rush: 
End - Long stick to A Gap
Tackle - B gap to Contain
Nose - Opposite A
Mike - Show Man on TE, Rush C gap to B
Corner - Contain Rush, peels to cover the RB in a route

The Coverage:
Corner - Man #1
Nickel - Man #2
Dime - Show Contain Rush, Man on #3
FS - Show coverage on #3, Free in MOF
SS - Man on TE

DE is the green dog player. The DE is aligned in a 2 point stance as has a edge rush demeanor. 

The offense is in a 5 man protection with the RB free releasing into a swing route.

The 5 OL must block the 5 most dangerous rush threats. In this case the defense bluffs pressure from the Dime. Here the Mike shows by alignment and demeanor that he is man to man on the TE. The SS is deeper than the FS who is cheated down with eyes on the #3 receiver. Every indicator is the the Dime and End are rushing off the edge with the coverage rotating to cover for the rushing Dime. The OL points and adjust accordingly to slide the protection to the Dime leaving the back side OT man to man with the DE.

During the cadence the SS tightens down to play man on the TE. The FS pops out to play the MOF. The Dime plays man on the #3 receiver. The Corner was rushing off the edge and peels to cover the RB on the swing or flare route. The corner must use this technique to avoid the giving the DE no shot to cover the RB on the swing. The OT is man to man on the long stick DE. There is no one to pick up the Mike rushing in the C gap. Once the OL had declared the 5 most dangerous rush threats it is very difficult for them to redirect an block rush threats coming from the opposite side. 

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Todd Bowles Middle Overload Zone Dog

This is a 5 man middle overload zone dog Coach Bowles dialed up when he was the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. The pressure is run from a nickel personnel.

The Rush:
Tackles - Working through B gap to contain
Mike & Will - A gap
SS - Midline

The Coverage:
The coverage is a 3 under 3 deep with both ends dropping into coverage
End - Seam
End - 3RH
*Both Ends are stand up 3-4 OLB players

Nickel - Seam
FS - MOF
Corners - Tight 1/3

The pressure overloads the middle of the pass protection.

The expected reaction from the pass protection is for the OG and OT on both sides to fan out to block the DE and DT on either side. The Center has one A gap rushing LB and the RB has the other. 

The DT's working through the B gaps holds the attention of the guards. If the DT's immediately looped outside the OG could possible squeeze the protection back to the middle. The occupation of the OG's creates the 3 (Mike, Will, SS) vs. the 2 (Center & RB) overload inside.

The OT's are left pass setting to no one with both DE's dropping into coverage. It would be very difficult for the OT's to provide any help to the midline.

For the offense to squeeze the protection back inside, many reactions would need to happen very quickly. The Center, Guard, and Tackle would all have to redirect from their initial pass set. This would require all three to identify the DE is dropping. The ID would also force all three to communicate and react in unison to squeeze the protection. They must also must each physically handle the athleticism required to redirect their pass set and make an effective block. All this with full speed rushers coming at them.   

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