Arizona Cardinals Penny 3 Safety, Defensive Coverage Concepts vs the LA Rams

The Arizona Cardinals played the LA Rams twice this year. The first game was a 41-10 victory and the 2nd was a tough 13-9 loss.

In the first game they held the Rams to 216 passing yards and only 8 yards per completion. They also were outstanding in the run game, holding the Rams to 20 carries and 53 yards. That’s a great 2.7 yards per carry.

In the 2nd game, again the rushing defense was great allowing just 16 carries for 52 yards. Again, that is roughly 3.2 yards per carry. In the passing game, Stafford was 17 for 32 for 189 yards. Not the high numbers you’d expect from him

Part of the game plan was their 3 safety penny look with 3 LB and 3 safeties that confused Stafford throughout the day. You can see the basic alignment with Baker as the middle safety in their 3 safety alignment.

The nice thing about the front is you can get into any coverage you want by bringing a safety into the mix and getting involved in the run game.

Here are some of the coverages they played.

Cover 2 variations included using both the middle safety as a hook defender and as a deep 1/2 defender.

Cover 2 with the middle safety as a hook defender

Film

Cover 2 with the middle safety as a deep 1/2 defender.

Film:

Cover 6 (after the motion,new change of strength)

The LB to the strength plays the flat with 1/4 to that side. They play 1/2 field concept to the other side.

Cover 3 strong

They drop the safety Baker into the box and have him play the curl. They roll the weak safety to the middle 1/3. The weak DE has the flat.

Cover 1 Combo

The Rams come out in bunch and the Rams go man free combo. The CB plays the outside man straight up with the 2 safeties playing combo on 2 and 3. The OLB on the left has the RB. The defense is good except the LB misses the tackle when Stafford scrambles.

Film Clips

These are just some of the pass concepts you will see from the Cardinals in their 3 safety, penny scheme!