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.

Cover 1 Pressure vs. Reduced Split Receivers

Here the Steelers are in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE.

The Rush:

Both DE's on contain with both DT's working away from the Nickel pressure to balance the pass rush. The Nickel is through the heel line of the up field DE creating a straight line run on the QB.

The Coverage:

Cover 1

The pass concept gets the back out immediately with no pass protection responsibility. The LB is able take a direct angle and handle the RB in the flat. The pressure in the QB's face forces the ball out fast to the RB in the flat and an immediate tackle by the LB.

The pressure pattern takes advantage of two things:
1. The TE staying in protection is only there to help the OT with the DE. While the protection is technically a 6 man protection scheme is plays out like a 5 man scat protection with a double on the DE.

2. The Nickel does a good job holding the pressure pattern making it appear like no pressure threat exists from the field. The 5 man protection structure forces the OL to ID and set to the 5 most dangerous threats. With no clear Nickel threat and 2 LB's in the box the protection works with vision in the box and away from the Nickel. The OG sets the DT in the A gap leaving the B gap open for the Nickel on the run through pressure. The Nickel's speed, width, & angle on the pressure pattern make a redirect pass set by the OG from the inside A gap threat back outside to the B gap pressure very difficult. 

The coverage on the LOS receiving threats in good usage of man coverage techniques. Many offenses use compressed formations and reduced splits to attack man coverage. Crossing routes, picks, and rub concepts from reduced split spacing helps receivers beat man coverage. Defenses need technique change ups to help handle reduced splits. 

To the strong side the Corner and Safety use an in & out combination technique. As the routes distribute the Safety take the 1st inside receiver while the corner takes the 1st outside receiver. The in & out also does a good job of being on a different level from the LB. As the linebacker runs down hill on the RB in the flat there is no pick with the Safety/Corner in man.

To the weak side the LB takes the TE and the Corner takes the WR. An in & out technique makes less sense here. In & out could end up with the Corner on the TE and the LB on a WR. Instead the Corner plays outside leverage to deny out breaking routes and gets help on the WR crosser from the post Safety. As the WR goes inside the Safety nails it down and takes the route over in man. The Corner immediately opens, runs, and replaces the Safety in the post. Again good usage of levels here in alignment by the Corner and the LB to avoid being picked by routes from the TE/WR.

Really nice usage of man coverage techniques to handle reduced splits from the Steelers and Keith Butler. 

Pressure Check vs. Unbalanced Jet Motion

Here is Cincinnati checking into pressure vs. an unbalanced formation with the X receiver off the ball. The Bearcats are in a 3-4 personnel.

The Rush:
Sam off the edge with the weak side DE slanting outside and the Jack in the B gap

The Coverage:
Rotated man coverage with the backside corner rotating to the post on motion to unbalanced by the X receiver. The LB manned on the TE ends up being able to play aggressively as the TE is ineligible in this formation.

Initially the defense is in a 2 high under front alignment. When the formation is ID'd as having the X WR off the ball the defense checks to the 5 man rotated Cover 1 pressure concept.

The Sam should be "blocked" by the jet motion but here the back side safety rotates over to handle the motion adding numbers to the strong side. The coverage rotation allows the Sam to build a 7 vs. 6 box advantage for the defense. The Sam is the unblocked +1 defender and bends to attack the power in the backfield. 

Back side the stunt by the DE and Jack creates a tough twist action vs. power blocking. The Center needs to block back to handle the blitzing Jack. The knock back technique by the Nose helps control the Center's block while the slanting DE creates the interior pressure lane for the Jack's run through.

Really nice pressure check plan to attack the jet sweep/power series from this unbalanced formation. Great recognition and execution from the Cincy defense and well planned pressure concept by Marcus Freeman. 

Cover 2 Zone Pressure to Attack Duo

Here is a 5 man zone pressure using twists and back stopped by a cover 2 concept. San Diego State is in a 3-3-5 personnel. The spacing builds a bear front. 

The Rush:

Nose is in a knock back two gap technique vs. the Center. Both DE's are penetrating with both mugged up LB's looping outside.

The Coverage:

4 under 2 deep zone coverage

The usage of mugged up LB's on the guards creates problems for Duo. The goal of duo is double teams and creating LOS movement. Here the unbalanced side double on the DE can't stay on vs. the mugged up LB. The double team elects to stay on the DE which leaves the looper free. The result is the TE is forced to block the looping Sam LB. With the TE occupied the offense has no blocker for the Mike who is bumped out to the unbalanced formation. 

If the OL had abandoned the double team and blocked the twist, the TE would have been free for the Mike. This is where the usage of cover 2 and corner support vs. the run comes into play. The WR cracks the safety, which is a great scheme against quarters coverage where the safety will be triggering down hill against the run. Here however the crack block is wasted on a deep 1/2 safety allowing the cloud corner to trigger the run. If the OL and TE had blocked the box the ball would have bounced out to the unblocked corner. 

Nice usage of mugged up LB's, twist games, and cloud run support to attack the run. Good stuff from Zach Arnett, Rocky Long, and the Aztec defense.

Packaging Complimentary Pressure Concepts

Here are two complimentary pressure concepts from San Diego State.

The Aztecs are in a 3-3-5 personnel but are aligned in a 4-2-5 under front spacing.

The Rush:

The Sam and Will are contain with the Mike hitting the A gap. The Nose and reduced DE are working a twist.

The Coverage:

Cover Zero 

The success of the pressure is all about the speed of the blitzers. Both the Sam and Will are able to win with speed and create the strong side pressure forcing the fumble.

Later in the game the Aztecs present the same strong side cover zero pressure concept pre-snap. Post-snap the concept is zone under man corner pressure instead.

The Rush:

The DL is slanting strong with the corner pressuring off the boundary edge

The Coverage:

Zone under man concept. More on the coverage concept HERE.

The offense ID's the strong pressure threats and attempts to adjust the protection. The adjustment is to send the slide to the pressure. This forces the RB to block across the formation which is a difficult pick up. Even more difficult is this corner pressure creates 2 rushers off the edge vs. the RB in a full slide concept. The corner ends up on the free run and creates a second forced fumble. 

Great execution from San Diego State and great plan to manipulate pass protection from Defensive Coordinator Zach Arnett and Head Coach Rocky Long. Rocky Long coached teams have played great defense for the last 20 plus years. Really fun defenses to break down and study at both New Mexico and now San Diego State. Coach Long doesn't get the credit he deserves as a great football mind and defensive coach. 

Pass Rush Twist vs. Empty

Here Wisconsin is in a 4-2-5 Nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE. The Mike LB is walked up to create a bear front spacing.

The Rush:

3 man twist game with the Mike and DT penetrating and the boundary rush looping inside

The Coverage:

Cover 1 man free with the field side Rush LB dropping to play the rat in the hole

The initial alignment vs. empty of all 5 OL covered creates man blocking across the board. The guard opposite the twist is forced to widen initially with the DT in the B gap. 

The width the OG gets in his set does two things:
1. Creates space for the looping Rush
2. Makes the Guard late to provide help to the Center

The Center has a difficult set here also. The Center sets to the mugged up Mike. The Mike's speed and width force the Center to set hard and commit. The aggressiveness of the Center's set makes it difficult to redirect on the twist.

Nice usage of a pre-snap bear front presentation to get the the OL manned up. Covering all the OL gets more mileage out of a traditional four down front pass rush game. Four down pass rush twists can be picked up most effectively when the free OL is able to provide help to adjacent OL allowing the twisting rushers to be passed off. Covering all 5 OL and forcing help from a free OL to be late makes this twist effective. The usage of OLB's at DE also helps this call succeed. Hybrid players on the edge are both capable as pass rushers and in coverage drops. The uncertainty of their role for the OL helps create difficult pass set situations. Good execution from the Badgers and scheme from Jim Leonard. 

Cover 3 Sim Pressure vs. Empty

Here is a effective sim pressure vs. empty. The Titans are in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB bodies as the DE's and the field DT in a 2pt stance.

The Rush:

DT's are working strong to balance the pass rush. The pressure side pattern has the Rush up the field and the Nickel through the the heel line of the Rush. The Nickel's path creates a straight line run on the QB.

The Coverage:

4 under 3 deep zone coverage

The slide of the protection goes to the field/strong leading to a triple team on the DT crossing face. The turn of the protection allows for the Nickel to get a clean B gap run through. 

Interesting spacing here from the Titans. Many Nickel packages set the Nickel to the pass strength. Here Tennessee sets the Nickel to the boundary/weak side and bumps a LB body out of the box to the strong side. One huge upside of sim pressure like this concept is the coverage is cover 3 which lets basically any defensive player play the low drops. A linebacker can walk out and play the field side flat. An OLB can drop off the LOS to play the field hook drop. Those players may have difficulty in a matching firezone concept or a man coverage against a WR but they are very capable of execution in a 4 underneath cover 3 zone drop.

Good stuff from the Titans and Dean Pees.