Every week in the NFL you see more and more bunch and condensed formations.
Teams love to run mesh concepts out of bunch formations and condensed 2x2 sets with the following in mind.
1. get the ball to the RB vs man
2. If man and the RB isn't open, try to get the shallow crosser/mesh concept.
3. In zone they may hit the crosser in a window but will hit the sit down route of not there.
The mesh is one concept, but teams will run various routes out of bunch and condensed formation. I will try to discuss some thoughts on both sides of the ball.
1st, the back is often the first option on many of the routes. If the coverage dictates it he is the first read. You see it so often with the Chiefs, who make a living throwing to the running back out of the backfield.
The Rams are another team that run the majority of their offense out of condensed sets.
In order to defend it you need to understand at times what the offenses are trying to accomplish.
1st, the back is often the first option on many of the routes. If the coverage dictates it he is the first read. You see it so often with the Chiefs, who make a living throwing to the running back out of the backfield.
What's the best way to defend them when they run condensed and bunch formations?
Pressure and coverage:
- Do you play man with underneath help? That's tough at times because you know with the mesh teams are going to sometimes set 3 picks for the crosser coming across.
- Do you play zone and open up windows underneath?
- Do you blitz it and run 5 man pressures?
- Do you play combo, zone to the bunch and man to the single side?
Defensive things to consider:
- who is lined up where in the formation. Is the best wr single side? Where are their best options?
- What do they do with the back? Where do they align him, to the bunch or away from it?
- Do they keep the rb in protection, free release or check release him
- Is the rb dynamic. Not everyone has a back that's dynamic. Can you cover him with a linebacker or do you put a safety on him
- Can they handle edge pressure? If they are free releasing the back, that may open things up from a pressure standpoint.
- If man, how are you teaching your dbs to get thru the traffic.
This article will focus on defending bunch and some of the difficult concepts being run from condensed sets.
Man/man free defense:
The most common man to man variation is to play #2 head up on the slot and #1 and #3 covered by the cb and safety. Sometimes the dbs will play it straight and at other times you may switch and take 1st man inside and the cb will take 1st man that releases outside. People have 2 different variations.
You will also see many teams drop the safety down from either side in which I call a lurk/hole concept.
Also, you must teach your dbs if playing it straight how they are going to align and drive on routes to allow the other db to get thru the traffic. This is very important. Some coaches will teach if one goes inside, drive hard on the outside shoulder so that allows #3 to sort thru the traffic and get to the outbreaking routes. There are different techniques but keep that in mind.
Broncos
The Broncs show a 2 high look but the coverage is man free with the Safety to the side of the bunch diving down to help on crossers. They used it a few times vs the Jets in week 3 as show below. 2 clips are attached
On 3rd and 6 the Jets run the concept again. The Broncos switch the coverage and how they sort the bunch route out.
Bucs
Here the Bucs play #2 head up rush 5 and bring the free safety down as a rat defender to jump the crossers. They disrupt the route and end up getting a pick and a sack on back to back plays.
Notre Dame vs Vanderbilt
It is difficult to play man when you are getting pick routes trying to free up a crosser. Sometimes in bunch teams will run 2-3 pick routes and that makes it unwinnable at times for the defensive back.
The NFL Teams are smart they will put the third guy out wide, the defense will walk their safety out on him and teams will know it's some version of man when they motion him back inside.
The next time the Chiefs decide to run the sail route. The Texans bring 4 and go man free with the weak safety playing as a hole player.
Sail is another term for flood route. #2 runs the deep out for a 17 yard gain.
Zone coverages
k
The Rams run a similar look vs the Giants but use the safety as a hole player looking for a crosser from the bunch look
Titans man concept vs bunch
Combo coverages
NEW: The Bengals play man to the single wr side and bring a 5 man pressure to that side.
They play 1/4, 1/4 half to the 3 wr side and man on #1 weak with safety help over the top.
At first I thought 1/2 to the single side but definitely man single side.
NEW: Here the Browns play combo coverage against the Steelers. They are playing 1/3 over the top of bunch and middle 1/3 with the other safety. Backside single cb on an island man for man with no help.
The Steelers have a man and zone beater built in. In the first clip they throw to the single side on the fade for 27 yards.
In the 2nd clip they throw the sit route vs the Browns. The Browns played the same coverage on both.
Combo coverages are when you play zone on one side and man to the other side.
Here the Chargers play zone to the bottom and man to man up top vs the Chiefs
2nd and 10, down 27-13
The Saints play combo, man on #1 and zone to the bottom. They role that way and play 1/4,1/4, 1/2. They do an excellent job taking the underneath stuff and Mullens tries to hit the deep route. It is underthrown and intercepted.
Bills play m/m on #1 at the bottom of the screen away from the 3x1 The Jets run 1 on the out 2 on the shallow and 3 on the post corner up top.
Defense: Sam pressure combo man to the top zone to the passing strength.
Here the Falcons run a 5 man pressure.
Here are some of the ways teams are using bunch and how defenses are trying to stop them.
