3 4 Defense Playbook

Defense

DEFENSIVE POSITIONS DL: Defensive Linemen

NT: Nose Tackle (Inside Defensive Linemen)DE: Defensive Ends (Outside Defensive Linemen)

LB: Linebackers

SLB (Sam): Strong-side Outside LinebackerMLB (Mike): Strong-side Inside LinebackerBLB (Buck): Weak-side Inside LinebackerWLB (Will): Weak-side Outside Linebacker

DB: Defensive Backs

CB: CornerbackN: Nickelback (Extra Cornerback in Nickel Formation)D: Dimeback (Extra Cornerback in Dime Formation)S: SafetyFS: Free SafetySS: Strong Safety

FORMATIONS

Solid (3-4): 3 Defensive Linemen (DL), 4 Linebackers (LB) (OLB's on the line), 2 Cornerbacks (CB), 2 Safeties (S)

Straight (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB, 2 CB, 2 S Over (3-4 Over): 3 DL (overloading strong side), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2S Under (3-4 Under): 3 DL (overloading weak side), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2S Strong (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB (Sam on the line), 2 CB, 2S Weak (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB (Will on the line), 2 CB, 2 S Pinch (3-4): 3 DL (DE's line up over C gap), 4 LB, 2CB, 2S Spread (3-4): 3 DL (DE's line up over D gap), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2 S

X

Solid Straight

Over Under

Y Z

X

Y Z

X

Y Z

X

Y Z

X X

X X

FORMATIONS

NT head up on C, DE's in Bgaps, OLB's on the line, C gap shade on TE's, MLB's off the line, A gap shade on the G's.

NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on the G's.

NT head up on strong side G, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, Mike head up on C, Buck head up on weak side G.

NT head up on weak side G, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, Mike head up on strong side G, Buck head up on C..

X

Strong Weak

Pinch Spread

Y Z

X

Y Z

X

Y Z

X

Y Z

X X

X X

FORMATIONS

NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's head up on TE's, Will off the line, Sam on the line. MLB's off the line, head up on G's.

NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's head up on TE's, Will on the line, Sam off the line, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.

NT head up on C, DE's over B gaps, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.

NT head up on C, DE's over C gaps, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.

Defensive Line

DL Calls (all calls shown from straight formation on following pages):

Key: Read & React

Blast: Shoot Gaps

Jam: Fill Inside Gaps

Stretch: Fill Outside Gaps

Crash Right: Shoot Gaps to the Right

Crash Left: Shoot Gaps to the Left

Inside Twist: DE's fill B gaps, ILB's fill C gaps

Outside Twist: DE's fill C gaps, OLB's fill B gaps

Switch Strong: NT and strong-side DE cross

Switch Weak: NT and weak-side DE cross

Gaps & Offensive Line Positions

X Gaps: D C B A A B C D

TE T G C G T TE

Blast

X

Y Z

X

Key

X

Y Z

X

Stretch

X

Y Z

X

Jam

X

Y Z

X

DL CALLS

DL's make contact with OL, read the play and react.

DL's bull rush OL, read and react while rushing.

DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot inside gaps.

DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot outside gaps.

Crash Left

X

Y Z

X

Crash Right

X

Y Z

X

Outside Twist

X

Y Z

X

Inside Twist

X

Y Z

X

DL CALLS

DL's shoot gaps to the right. DL's shoot gaps to the left.

Combination DL movement & Blitz. DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot inside gaps, MLB's shoot behind DE's to outside gaps.

Combination DL movement & Blitz. DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot outside gaps, OLB's, shoot behind DE's to inside gaps.

Switch Weak

X

Y Z

X

Switch Strong

X

Y Z

X

DL CALLS

Weakside DE bull rush T, NT moves laterally to strongside B gap, strongside DE pulls behind NT to A gap.

Strongside DE bull rush T, NT moves laterally to weakside B gap, weakside DE pulls behind NT to A gap.

Blitzes

Sam Blitz: SLB blitzes

Mike Blitz : MLB blitzes

Buck Blitz : BLB blitzes

Will Blitz: WLB blitzes

Sam-Mike Blitz: SLB and MLB blitz

Sam-Buck Blitz: SLB and BLB blitz

Sam-Will Blitz: SLB and WLB blitz

Mike-Buck Blitz: BLB and MLB blitz

Mike-Will Blitz: BLB and SLB blitz

Buck-Will Blitz: MLB and WLB blitz

Strong Corner Blitz: strong-side corner blitzes

Weak Corner Blitz: weak-side corner blitzes

Strong Blitz: SS blitzes

Free Blitz: FS blitzes

Overload Strong Blitz: SS and SLB blitz

Overload Weak Blitz: FS and WLB blitz

Triple Strong Blitz: SS, SLB, and MLB blitz

Triple Weak Blitz: FS, WLB, and BLB blitz

Deep Blitz: FS and SS blitz

Max Blitz: All LB's blitz

Inside Twist: See DL Calls

Outside Twist: See DL Calls

Mike BlitzSam Blitz

Will BlitzBuck Blitz

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

BLITZES

Sam blitzes through C or D gap. Mike blitzes through A or B gap.

Buck blitzes through a or B gap. Will blitzes through C or D gap.

Sam-Buck BlitzSam-Mike Blitz

Mike-Buck BlitzSam-Will Blitz

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

BLITZES

Sam blitzes C or D gap, Mike blitzes A or B gap.

Sam blitzes C or D gap, Buck blitzes A or B gap.

Sam and Will blitz C or D gap on their side.

Mike and Buck blitz A or B gap on their side.

Buck-Will BlitzMike-Will Blitz

Weak Corner BlitzStrong Corner Blitz

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

BLITZES

Mike blitzes A or B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.

Buck blitzes A or B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.

Strongside CB blitzes outside. Weakside CB blitzes outside.

Free BlitzStrong Blitz

Overload Weak BlitzOverload Strong Blitz

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

BLITZES

SS blitzes through strongside A or B gap.

FS blitzes through weakside A or B gap.

SS blitzes through A or B gap, Sam blitzes through C or D gap.

FS blitzes through A or B gap, Will blitzes through C or D gap.

Triple Weak BlitzTriple Strong Blitz

Max BlitzDeep Blitz

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

BLITZES

Mike blitzes A gap, SS blitzes B gap, Sam blitzes C or D gap.

Buck blitzes A gap, FS blitzes B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.

SS and FS blitz A or B gaps on their side.

MLB's blitz A or B gaps on their side, OLB's blitz C or D gaps on their side.

Coverages:

Man-to-Man: Default coverage. Each man in pass defense covers one man

on offense. See following pages for rules and variations.

Combo X (FS Double Teams X)

Combo Z (FS D-T Z)

Combo S (FS D-T S)

Combo Double (FS/SS D-T X/Z)

Cover 2 Zone (2 Deep, 5 Short)

Cover 2 Man (2 Deep, Man)

Cover 3 Strong (Rotate S/S)

Cover 3 Weak (Rotate W/S)

Cover 3 Man (3 Deep, Man)

Cover 4 (4 Deep, 3 Short)

Prevent (2 Very Deep, 4 Deep)

With Sam Blitz

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

Reverse for Will Blitz. Buck will take #2 on weak side.

Basic

1 2 2 3 1

1 2 3 2 1

With SS Blitz

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

With Sam-Mike Blitz

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz. Mikewill take #2 on weak side.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

MANCOVERAGE

With OverloadStrong Blitz

1 2 3 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz. Buck will take #2 on weak side.

With StrongCorner Blitz

1 2 3 1 2

1 2 3 2 1

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz. FS will take #2 on weak side.

With Max Blitz

1 2/3 2 1

1 2 3 2 1

With TripleStrong Blitz

1 2 2 3 1

1 2 3 2 1

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz. FS will take #2 on weak side.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

MANCOVERAGE

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER2 MAN

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER2 MAN

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER2 ZONE

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER2 ZONE

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 STRONG

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 STRONG

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 WEAK

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 WEAK

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 MAN

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER3 MAN

With Sam Blitz

Reverse for Will Blitz.

Basic

With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER4

With OverloadStrong Blitz

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With StrongCorner Blitz

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

X

Y Z

X

COVER4

X

Y Z

X

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