3x 1 coverage checks Part 2
Combination Coverages
This part deals with teams that play combo, man on 1 or 2 players and zone on the rest. This can be done on the outside with man coverage on 1 player and a cover 3 or 2 concept the other way or by what I call weasel, man on an inside wr and then playing zone on everyone else.
You can also play man to man on both outside players with a read concept on #2.
Here are some of the examples:
Combo coverage vs 3x1
Another thing you will see from Fangio is combination coverage, part man part zone. He does it with different coverages on the front side of the combination coverage.
Vs. The Chiefs they run different variations of it. In the first example they play cover 2.
Man coverage to the single side.
The CB sits and makes a nice read.
Mahomes has to put it down and run.
In example #2 you get 1/4 coverage on 1 side with a lock on the 1 wr side.
In the next example, they play man on the backside but run a variation of 1/4 coverage with the sam carrying #2 vertical. Nice design with what looks like the mike matching the RB to the flat.
The RB opens late but Mahomes is forced to scramble.
The route concept is below.
The sam carries 2 vertical as 3 goes to the flat. The weak safety plays the crosser.
Here are the 2 examples of the coverages discussed above:
Titans play a variation of combo vs the Jaguars in their 21 meeting.
Titans play man to the 1 wr side and play zone with everyone else, basically playing #2 and #3 wr in double coverage. They run a nice stunt from their load front and get the sack.
Here's the defense and how they are playing it.
The safety is reading #3 strong
Updated:
Utah Special
Special is an excellent concept!
#1 is played man to man,
the sam and safety read #2 and #3. The safety will take 2 or 3 vertically.
Utah runs special to the 3x1 side from their 3-4 base package:
They also bring the olb over with the trips set giving them an extra defender.
Man on #1 and zone with everyone else. The sam lb has all of #2 unless 3 is outside.
They also have olb playing the flat and the mike playing the hook:
Wash State tries to hit the slant with #1 and because its man on #1 they defend it. Good coverage by the cb.
film analysis to go with above clips:
cover 2 weasel
Jimmy Lake Washington Defense
2nd and 5 vs Hawaii
They bring a 3 man pressure play man on #2 and cover 2 with everyone else. Confuse Hawaii, no place to go with the ball and force qb to scramble and throw an incomplete.
Here's Washington again vs USC
USC 1st and 10
They go combo and play man free to the 3x1 side and zone to the 1 wr side. They walk the olb out to press #1 and take away USC best wr. USC runs qb draw against it. They get 4 yards but Wash holds them.
The Seahawks and Patriots both have been using an exchange concept based on release of #1 with condensed formations
The Seahawks do it vs the Rams.
#1 to the single side releases inside, the safety takes him and the cb plays the crosser.
#1 releases outside the cb will take him.
Patriots man free combo..
3rd and 10 vs Chargers
Really this is man free but the cb and fs weak make this really interesting. The pats put the safety on #1 if he goes across, which he does and leave the cb weak to play crossers. Really an interesting concept.
Cover 3 combo
The Bengals use it with a 5 man pressure vs the Giants. They bring 4 off the weakside, play man on Engram the Giants best tight end and zone with everyone else.
Heres another 3rd and short. Hawks are in 3x1 .
Seahawks get 6 yards on it.
The Rams play man on the #1 wr Metcalf vs Ramsey, with cover 3 with everyone else. 4 over 3 to the bunch with the olb playing the flat.
Cover 2 Combo
cover 2 with man on #1 opposite the trips.
Here is an example of cover 2 with solo coverage on #1 to the single wr side.
#2 cover 2 combo.
3rd and 4 Ravens vs the Patriots
The wr is on #1 man for man with everyone else playing zone coverage. It looks like man free pre snap but they go cover 2 on the snap. Good disguise!
You can see the cb and sam lb playing cover 2 to the bottom of the screen with the safeties in deep 1/2 coverage.
Cover 3 steal(FS robs #3)
Ravens vs Steelers.
Ravens do a nice job with cover 3 with the free safety robbing #3
The same game they rob #3 and play the crosser with the same side safety. CB has all of #1 again.
The SS reads #3 , looks like sam is playing all of #2 unless 3 to the flat.
Cover 3 with man backside
Jaguars run a sim pressure. Bring the lb and drop the de. Key 3rd and3 and the pass is incomplete
Penn State brings pressure away from the back and locks on the 1 wr side
Watch the weak side lb blitz B take the tackle on on with his inside arm forcing it to the Safety who is unblocked. This is excellent run defense
Weasel Coverage
The Seahawks put Metcalf in the slot.
The Rams put the SS on him man to man and play cover 3 with everyone else.
Good concept. The Seahawks put a safety on him when 14 was in the slot and a cb on him when he was outside.
Lock Coverage
CB -#1 man to man
Sam- has all of 2 unless 3 to flat
mike-wall 3. disrupt corssers
will- key 2 weak(rb) to 3 strong
SS- key #3 to #2 strong. 3 vert he's yours
FS- Deep 1/2 player help over the top of #1 he disappears shallow look for a deep crosser.
CB#1 man to man
Choice Special. (Similar to 3 steal)
This is a blitz for the weak linebacker based on where the back is.
We tweak the above coverage to the weak side. The 2 people it effects the most is the FS and the will.
This is a coverage where we will blitz the lb if the back is away from him 3x1. If the back is to him he plays normal 2 to 3 read like above in lock. WILL can blitz b or c gap. tells the de.
The weak cb has zero help. He is on an island. The safety is reading 3 for the deep crosser in this coverage as the mike has to help on the shallow crosser.
#1 cb man
#2 sam all of 2 unless 3 to the flat
#3 mike wall 3 help on shallow cross
SS read 3 . 3 vert he's yours he goes out look for 2 to the post.
FS read 3...he crosses deep he's yours. if not look for post by #1
Will- back away from you blitz. back to you stay and will drop to zone your read is 2 weak to 3 strong.
The sam doesn't have to go to bubble. he can split the difference. once 3 goes out safety needs to get his eyes to 2. As you can see cb in off man.
In the LSU vs Mississipi State game,
The LSU Defense plays slide technique,
It is 2 read on 1 and 2 to the trips side, aslthough it could be 4, (tough to tell)
the sam reads #3 and has all of 3 out or vertical.
If 3 goes inside he passes him off and looks for something from 1 or 2 back inside.
The Mike takes 3 if he goes across. To the 1 wr side the cb and weak lb are in man coverage.
Here are 2 clips of the coverage below
3rd and 10 Chiefs vs Jets.
Chiefs bring 5.
Here the Chiefs play a variation of special with the outside cb to 3x1 in man.It looks like the safety is playing curl with the other safety playing middle 3rd. LB coming from other side to play hook.
Here' s the clip of the play below. Safety comes clean and they get great pressure.
