For those of you who don't know what a coverage shell is...

[PATRIOTS-80]

(I'm sure most of you do though) there is a nice article on wikipedia.

(I love actual football talk)

Coverage Shells

In the following, "cover" refers to the "shell" that the defense rolls into after the snap of the ball, more specifically the number of defenders guarding the deep portion of the field.
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Cover 1

Cover 1 schemes employ only one deep defender, usually a safety. Many underneath coverages paired with Cover 1 shells are strictly man-to-man with LBs and defensive backs each assigned a different offensive player to cover. By using only one deep defender in Cover 1, the other deep defender is free to blitz the quarterback or provide man-to-man pass coverage help.

Cover 1 schemes are usually very aggressive, preferring to proactively disrupt the offense by giving the quarterback little time to make a decision while collapsing the pocket quickly. This is the main advantage of Cover 1 schemes--the ability to blitz from various pre-snap formations while engaging in complex man-to-man coverage schemes post-snap. For example, a safety may blitz while a CB is locked in man coverage with a WR. Or the CB may blitz with the safety rotating into man coverage on the WR post-snap.

The main weakness of Cover 1 schemes is the lone deep defender that must cover a large amount of field and provide help on any deep threats. Offenses can attack Cover 1 schemes with a vertical stretch by sending two receivers on deep routes, provided that the quarterback has enough time for his receivers to get open. The deep defender must decide which receiver to help out on, leaving the other in man coverage which may be a mismatch.

A secondary weakness is inherent its design: the use of man coverage opens up yards after catch lanes. Man coverage is attacked by offenses in various ways that try to isolate their best athletes on defenders by passing them the ball quickly before the defender can react or designing plays that clear defenders from certain areas thus opening yards after catch lanes.
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Cover 2

In traditional Cover 2 schemes the free safety (FS) and strong safety (SS) have deep responsibilities, each guarding half of the field.

Cover 2 can be run from any number of defensive fronts such as the 46, the 3-4, and the 4-3. Various "underneath" coverage played by cornerbacks and linebackers may also be implemented. For example, Cover 2 Man means 2 safeties have deep responsibility while the cornerbacks and linebackers follow their offensive assignment in one-on-one coverage. Cover 2 can also be paired with underneath zone schemes: Cover 2 Zone refers to 2 safeties with deep responsibility but now the CBs and LBs drop back into specific coverage zones where they defend passes only in their assigned area.

Teams that play Cover 2 shells usually ascribe to the "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy, preferring to keep offensive players in front of them for short gains while limiting long passes. This is in stark contrast to a more aggressive Cover 1 type scheme which leaves the offensive team's wide receivers in single man-to-man coverage with only one deep helper. By splitting the deep field between two defenders, the defense can drastically reduce the number of long gains.

The main weakness of the Cover 2 shell occurs in the middle of the field between the safeties. The safeties attempt to gain width upon the snap of the ball to cover any long passes to quick wide receivers down the sideline. This movement creates a natural hole between the safeties that can be attacked. By sending a receiver (usually a tight end) into the hole, the offense forces the safety to make a decision: play the vulnerable hole in the middle of the field or help out on the wide receiver. The quarterback reads the safety's decision and decides on the best matchup (which mismatch is better--TE vs S or WR vs CB).
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Cover 3

Cover 3 refers to 3 deep defenders each guarding one-third of the deep zone. Cover 3 schemes are usually used to defend against passes, mainly those towards the deep middle of the field. Unlike Cover 2 schemes that create a natural hole between safeties, Cover 3's extra deep defender is able to patrol the middle area effectively.

The most basic Cover 3 scheme involves 2 CBs and a safety. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. One safety moves toward the center of the field. The other safety is free to rotate into the flat area (about 2-4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage), provide pass coverage help, or blitz.

As with other coverage shells, Cover 3 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.

The main weakness of Cover 3 shells is the 2 retreating CBs. Since the CBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath the CB can isolate him on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help.
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Cover 4

Cover 4 refers to 4 deep defenders each guarding one-fourth of the deep zone. Cover 4 schemes are usually used to defend against deep passes.

The most basic Cover 4 scheme involves 2 CBs and 2 safeties. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. Both safeties backpedal towards their assigned zone.

As with other coverage shells, Cover 4 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.

The main weakness of Cover 4 shells is the retreating defensive backs. Since the DBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath can isolate them on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help.
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Cover 0

Cover 0 refers to pure man coverage with no deep defender. Similar to Cover 1, Cover 0 has the same strengths and weaknesses.
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Tampa 2

Tampa 2 refers to a style of defense played by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and implemented by its coaches (mainly defensive co-ordinator Monte Kiffin) in recent years. Because of its success it has become popular with many professional and college teams. It blends the Cover 2 and Cover 3 defenses by having two defensives backs, usually the safeties, in deep coverage on either side of the field, and a middle linebacker covering the medium to deep middle. Its benefit over the Cover 2 is that the sidelines and middle of the field are better protected against deep threats, with the drawback being a larger open area in the short middle of the field underneath the middle linebacker. Its benefit over the Cover 3 is that it only dedicates two defensive backs to deep coverage rather than three, allowing for better protection against short outside routes."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_strategy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_defensive_schemes

And here's an interesting link on zone blitzes explaining zone blitzes.
http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/davie/1430750.html

 

[Richter]

Decent article, though it should mention the Tampa 2 requires much more coverage by the linebacking unit in general with the outside backers often pinching inside to help defend the short zones, and thus requires far more athletic linebackers to be effective (especially at the edges). Not many teams have used it effectively, besides Tampa, because not many teams have a Derrick Brooks to help out underneath.

 

[Patriots4Ever]

Dang..That really is a very nice article,I learned a thing or two there.Thanks so much.!

 

[PATSNUTme]

this is the kind of stuff that I have beeen advocating to be put on a separate thread or sticky as reference material.

I don't know if that will ever happen though.

 

[dryheat44]

Here's a great series of educational stuff like that:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/category/ramblings/strategy-minicamps/

 

[PATSNUTme]

Here's a great series of educational stuff like that:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/category/ramblings/strategy-minicamps/

the only problem is that it will be back on page 8 next week.

A separate forum or a sticky would make it easier for those who are seeking this kind of info.

 

[RI Pats Fan]

Patriots-80, I wish there were more posters like you left. Good find! Educating read.


Now let's all go back to trading agents home phone numbers and license plates.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Thanks Dryheat for the link. I didn't have that one.

Wouldn't it be great PatsNut if a mod would create a sticky post (even if its tucked away in the draft forum) that had a bunch of educational references links?

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Patriots-80, I wish there were more posters like you left. Good find! Educating read.


Now let's all go back to trading agents home phone numbers and license plates.

thanks for the compliment.

 

[Triumph]

Heres some more stuff.

Gap techniques. I'm fairly certain the Pats letter their holes like this. A gap and so forth. I know I've heard BB dicuss the 3 technique or 0 techinque in the past when talking about a D line player.

http://www.fbforyouth.com/gap_techniques.htm


Pretty informative site. Lots to read.

http://eteamz.active.com/football/instruction/tips/

Bob Davie had some real good stuff for free, but now its all ESPN Insider pay material. Its only $40 or so bucks for the magazine and you get access to his archives.

http://sports.espn.go.com/keyword/search?searchString=Bob_Davie&source=l_navbar&rT=sports