Green Bay Packers Nickel & Psycho Packages

More and more teams are now utilizing pass rush personnel groups with only 1 or 2 defensive linemen on the field. Dom Capers' Packers defense has generated a great deal of pressure this season with these types of hybrid personnel groups. The Nickel concept allows the Packers to rush 4 and drop 7 with two edge rushers that have speed and athleticism. Teams like the Packers that base out of a 3-4 concept often want both OLB's (typically the best pass rushers in a 3-4 scheme) rushing the QB and a 4 man rush. This specialized personnel group allows for both OLB's to stay in the game and for a Nickel secondary to be on the field by only utilizing 2 down linemen. The Packers can be seen here rushing 4 in a traditional 4 man pass rush with 2 Rush LB's as the defensive ends. The versatility of this personnel is that you can bring 4 rushers from a blitz look.

In this pressure the Packers show a 5 man rush pre-snap with a LB walked up on the left. However, the right Rush LB drops out. The coverage is a Cover 3 concept with a 4 man rush. Video can be seen here.

This package isn't limited to only 4 man rush pressure. The 5 man rush package can give the defense well designed blitzes coupled with skilled players dropping into coverage.

The Packers use an overload blitz concept with Cover 3 Fire Zone behind it to create a 5 man pass rush. The hybrid personnel allows the Nickel to rush the QB and not have any true defensive linemen drop into coverage. Video can be seen here.

This type of personnel also makes overload blitzes like Dick Lebeau's Triple Inside Fire Zone and Safety Gut Fire Zone (both utilize 2 dropping DE's) more realistic pressure options.

The Packers also have a 1 down lineman (Psycho) package from their odd front. The pressure possibilities from this package are basically endless.

Here the Packers shuffle the Right Rush LB down and have him long stick to the opposite side of the center. The blitz is a variation of the NCAA blitz with all 3 linebackers rushing on the same side. The Nose loops for contain opposite the blitz while the Left Rush LB drops to the 3RH. The coverage is a traditional Cover 3 Fire Zone with a dime personnel secondary. Video can be seen here.

With offenses continuing to put more speed at the skill positions and spread the field I believe defenses will continue to develop answers like the psycho package to match up. More information on this trend is available on Brophy's Blog in a post here. Also more information about Dom Capers and his defense can be seen in his 1997 Carolina Panthers playbook.

Fire Zone Coverage Series

The final post of the series will cover the techniques of the 3 deep players in a 3 under 3 deep Fire Zone coverage concept. The underneath coverage was featured previously in posts on the Seam and 3RH techniques. The technique of the FZ 1/3 corner is described in Dick Lebeau's 2002 Cincinnati Bengals playbook.

Lebeau gives rules for the corner on page 144

CORNERS - DEEP 1/3 BUT NO 2 TO 1 READ
ENABLES CORNERS TO GET TIGHTER ON #1 RECEIVERS (ALERT STACK OR SLASH RELEASE)
SEAM PLAYERS WILL CARRY SEAMS TO FREE SAFETY
NO CHINA CALLS IN FIRE ZONE

The Corner is playing a very aggressive technique on the #1 receiver's route. The only route the corner is not aggressively playing is when the #1 receiver releases on a shallow crossing route. In that case the Corner will work the Deep 1/3 divider and squeeze to a vertical by the #2 receiver.

The Corners must be alert for reduced splits that might result in the #1 receiver going on a fast crossing route. With the Seam player carrying #2 vertical the Corner is not required to midpoint 2 vertical is his zone as he would in a traditional Cover 3 Deep 1/3.  This allows the Corner to play press or bail technique on the #1 receiver and does not require the Corner to make a "China" call vs. smash route concepts. Overall the concept is very simple; the corner plays #1's route aggressively unless it is a shallow crossing route.

The play of the Middle 1/3 or FZ Middle player as Lebeau calls it is very similar to a traditional Cover 3 middle 1/3 safety. The safety will work the middle 1/3 divider (imaginary line that cuts the middle 1/3 in half) and expect the Seam players to carry and deliver vertical routes. The FZ Middle player will midpoint 2 verticals and squeeze to 1 vertical route in the middle 1/3.

The FZ Middle player does have to be aware of the release of the #3 receiver. If the #3 receiver releases out the FZ Middle player must lean to #3 because the Seam player will go with the flat route and the 3RH player will not stretch vertically.

The Fire Zone coverage concept allows for many of the benefits of man free coverage while still utilizing zone coverage concepts.

3 Receiver Hook Drop

Previous posts discussed the Seam technique in Dick Lebeau's Cover 3 Fire Zone coverage and provided a video clip. This post will continue the fire zone coverage series and will focus on the the 3 Receiver Hook (3RH) drop. The 3 underneath coverage consists of Seam/3 Receiver Hook/Seam. The 3RH can be a dropping defensive lineman, linebacker, or inverting safety. Regardless of who is the 3RH the technique remains the same. The following is Lebeau's explanation of the 3RH from the 2002 Cincinnati Bengals Playbook.

One page 144 Lebeau defines the 3RH drop.

3 RECEIVER HOOK - HOOK PLAYER WORKS TO SIDE OF 3RD RELEASER INTO PATTERN. ZONE OFF THE 3 INSIDE RECEIVERS WITH SEAM PLAYERS. 10 YARD DEPTH RULE.

BE ALERT FOR FAST CROSSERS THREE RECEIVER HOOK WILL DELIVER FAST CROSSERS TO NEXT DEFENDER (YOU MAY TAKE THE CROSSER ALL THE WAY). 3 RECEIVER HOOK PLAYER WILL NEVER STRETCH THE VERTICAL ROUTES.

Based on the rules and diagrams in the playbook here is my analysis of the 3RH drop.

If #3 Blocks:

• Drop with Depth (Max of 10 yards) over the #3 receiver. Be aware of the check release.
• Be ready for fast crossers and in routes being delivered by the Seams droppers.
• Have your head on a swivel and listen for communication from the Seam players.

If #3 goes vertical:

• Carry vertical do not stretch with vertical route.
• Be alert for fast crosser from #2 and be ready to carry and deliver(Look for reduced splits)

If #3 goes out:

• Communicate out cut to Seam player
• Expand an find the first inside breaking route.
• You may have to carry and deliver a fast crosser from #1 or #2.
• Be alert of the slash/flat combo (Look for reduced splits)

If #3 releases across the formation:

• Carry and Deliver the crosser to the Seam Player

Off-Season Self Scout

Here are a few thoughts of things to evaluate a defense during the off-season. Be sure to leave comments if there is something you breakdown/evaluate in the off-season that isn't on the list.

Self Scout Checklist
How often did we call each?

• Front
• Slant
• Twist
• Blitz
• Coverage
• Disguise
• Tags & Adjustments

How effective was each call? (Yardage allowed, TD's, TFL's...etc.)

What percentage of our total calls is each?

Do the percentages reflect our philosophy?
Does what we called mirror our practice scripts? Did we run what we practiced?
Does what we called mirror our installation schedule?
Is our investment of practice time commensurate with our usage of each call? (Consider the call's effectiveness as well)
What changes need to be made to the playbook based on what we called during the season?

When did we make our calls? 

• Down & Distance
• Field Zone
• Hash
• Vs. Offensive Personnel Group
• Vs. Formation

What are our tendencies?

Do our tendencies reflect our philosophy?
Were we predictable?

Evaluate all:

• Explosion Plays
• TFLs
• Incomplete Passes
• Runs of >3 yards
• QB Pressures (Sacked, Hit, Hurried, Knocked Down)
• Takeaways
• Touchdowns
• Plays that resulted in End of Drive (EOD)
• Plays that resulted in a 1st down
• Missed Tackles (MT)
• Missed Assignments (MA)
• Mental Errors (ME)

Were there any common causes?
What do we need to emphasize, de-emphasize, or change in our teaching model to account for what we did on the field?

Technique Checklist (List of all techniques utilized by a position group)

What techniques did each position execute well/poorly?

How many times did we practice each technique? (Compare technique checklist with practice plans)
What drills did we do for each technique? (Compare technique checklist with practice plans)
In what ways did what we practice effect our execution of technique? (Positive & Negative)
How can we teach the technique more effectively?

What did offenses run against us this year?

• Personnel Groups
• Formations
• Runs
• Routes & Route Combinations
• Protections
• Trades, Shifts, and Motions

How can we adjust our spring practice plans to help prepare for what we saw the most or had difficulty with during the last season?

Off-Season scouting report of each team we will face next season

Balancing Pass Rush

Here is an excerpt from Dick Lebeau's 2002 Bengals playbook with coaching points for pass rush and balancing a fire zone pass rush.

Suggestions

I am looking for ideas or suggestions of what you would like to see on this site. Either leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail. blitzologyblog@gmail.com

Blitz of the Week #13

Continuing on the themes of overload blitzing and looping edge pressure here are two blitzes from the Baltimore Ravens. Both pressures are from the Raven's Dime personnel package and both utilize a Cover 2 fire zone concept vs. 2x2 formations and a Cover 3 fire zone concept vs. 3x1 formations.

The pressure overloads the B gap with 2 blitzers. The blitz side DT works to the opposite side of the center (A gap to A gap) to balance the pass rush. The coverage behind the blitz is a soft Cover 2 concept. The Dime will have to run out to get to the #2 receiver strong.

Against trips to the blitz side the coverage adjusts to a 3 under 3 deep concept with the safety to the trips inverting.

Vs. trips opposite the blitz the coverage is again a Cover 3 fire zone and again the trips side safety is inverting. The only difference is a change in responsiblilties by the Dime and dropping DE. This pressure is very similar to the overload blitz used by the Rams in a previous post.

The second pressure has the DE loop for interior pressure. The coverage concept is identical to the first blitz.