Football Pressures and Coverage Concepts: Bringing Pressure vs Empty
Defending Empty Formations
Empty formations are all over the league and in college football. Some teams use it like the Chiefs to dictate coverage: When teams walk a SS or LB out on the RB or TE who is flexed, it is a clear indication it is man coverage. Some teams won't disguise and check the coverage when they motion that man back in.
Others will just stay in empty and run the passing game accordingly.
Then there are of course the plays team will run out of empty. Some defensive teams check to empty other teams run the coverage called in the huddle. Not sure what each teams philosophy is but here's a look at some variations of what teams have shown.
The biggest flaw is that many teams make it easy on teams from a protection standpoint. In the NFL
If you don't see many teams playing or showing cover 0 to it but there are some that will.
That being said you need to ask yourself these questions as a defensive coordinator:
1. What route concepts will they run?
2. Will those route concepts be progression based and universal or man/zone beaters built in. Meaning if you get man I will go here with the ball and if I get zone coverage will I go here with the ball. They will often put the RB wide to get this indicator. When the RB is split and a safety or LB walks out, it is usually man.
3. What will they do when they feel cover 0 is coming. Do they have an answer for cover 0 and can you possible disguise, get them to check cover 0 and maybe change the coverage post snap and get some rat defenders underneath. Bluff one way and drop to the site of where they are throwing hot. Most teams are in their 5-0 protection with the qb throwing hot off #6.
4. Will they run the qb if they get the look they want. Example, 3x1 motion to empty and we run the lb out. Will they run the qb draw. Those are some of the questions you should ask yourself as a coordinator.
Here are some coverages and ways team play it at the NFL and College Level:
Man Pressures
Man to Man Conepts
COVER 1
5 man pressures
Let's take a look:
Man Free:
The Bears run a man free stunt in 2019 with Fangio as the dc
The odd front occupies the center and creates an advantage with the sam coming off the edge.
They run a game and get a 3x2 advantage to the strong side. Nice design and sack.
Get the free rusher
nose creates the 3x3 on the left side
They cause as matchup issue and get the extra rusher
Here the Bills run a cover 1 pressure vs the Jets.
The Jets see it throw to the flat but the quick pressure on White causes an errant throw.
5 man pressure with man free. Sam coming off the edge. Mike has the rb man to man. TE played by the other lb.
Pressure comes with the safety off the edge.
Here's a clip of the below:
Man free #2
Ravens vs Steelers
Ravens bring 5 with a nice edge pressure and play man free. Wink gets into his exotic look with 5 players standing up and brings the nickel sam off the edge.
Man to man as the slot comes. Nice design as they create the free rusher.
They get the free rusher with alignment, They play the TE man with the OLB
Nice design by Wink Martindale
Eagles defense
They show on one side and go on the other. They get the Bengals to account for the lb on one side and send the slot up the middle on the other side. Nice design. Burrow sees it and makes nice play for an 8 yard gain
Cover o rat principles as they do get a de in the throwing lane opposite the direction he was looking.
Cover 0 Read it Concept
Read it involves both LB showing in the B gap.
There rule is as follows:
If the Guard steps to you drop into pressure. If the guard steps away from you rush. It is a very effective way to get pressure instantaneously in man coverage. The problem is you are 1x1 across the board.
pre snap cover 0, bring 6 force the hot throw. They drop a LB late after the guard steps to him.
They get instant pressure which forces the throw and causes the int.
COVER 0 with and without mug looks
What you don't see enough of at the pro level is showing cover 0 and playing from there. If you show cover 0, with some mug pressure looks you will force the following:
1. They may bring the TE in and make it a 6 man protection to help vs cover 0.
2. They will throw hot and you may be able to get them by moving from a cover 0 look to some kind of zone/man free concept.
3. They may full slide it and that could free up one of the defensive ends if you mug it and that may free up a defensive end in pressure and then you can get cute and drop a defensive lineman or LB back into coverage.
Here the Dolphins go double b gap look showing cover 0 ?Why double B, you force a slide protection and the end comes free. They ran this pressure the first 2 times in the Ram game. One incomplete, one interception.
Cover 0 mug look pre-snap.
They force the slide in one direction
This frees up the RDE
Cover o as the DE drops out and the coverage is excellent on the right side.
COVER 0 RAT
After 2 times of running the double b mug look with 6 man pressure, still man but they drop 2 men into the passing lanes and get a pick. Again its a cover 0 look but the double mug, you will often get an alert route with the slant/out combo or someone running a slant. They get it and get the pick based on the pressure.
Its a Simulated 6 man pressure with 2 rat defenders and they get the interception. You can play cover 0 if you are bringing pressure as to they won't have time to get the ball out.
Nice pressure concept
Rams Drop def lineman and LB as Rats
Def Lineman gets the interception
After 2 times of running the double b mug look with 6 man pressure, still man but they drop 2 men into the passing lanes and get a pick. Lets explain
Here they run a slant and the Dolphins send 6 man pressure, straight man to man
The Rams try to hit the quick slant
So the next time, they show the same look and drop 2 players underneath.
Its a Simulated 6 man pressure with 2 rat defenders
The Dolphins get smart and drop two players anticipating the short throw. Nice design and change up.
Double Mug , send 6 straight cover 0
Dolphins get the sack, fumble and 78 yard td for touchdown(clip below)
Cover 0
Cover 0 again as the de is unblocked.
They create the free rusher as the jet doesn't draw #91
Clemson runs 2 versions of cover 0 rat. See them below!
Cover O DE RAT
Here's a sim pressure by NC A and T vs Duke.
Cover 0 on the outside but they drop the 2 de to help on inside breaking routes.
They send the 2 ILB to cause issues inside. The right inside lb comes clean. It's a 4 man pressure with man coverage with 2 inside rat defenders. They get home on the pressure.
They drop the 2 de are in man with rat defenders as they send the 2 ILB
They drop the 2 defensive ends and play cover 0
Combination Coverages
Baylor Combination coverage
Send 5 and play cover 4 to the 3 WR side and man to the 2 WR side.
You can also play combo coverage vs empty
Combo coverage(part zone, part man)
Falcons bring 4 and drop the de. They play 4 over 3 to the trips side with man on the backside. Do a nice job dictating the coverage and getting the free hit by the LB.
Nice pressure scheme with the LB coming
3 runs the chute route
DB is there in the flat
Nice pressure concept as the center steps to the 2i
LB comes clean with the pressure
Nice design.
Cover 3 Pressures
Cover 3
The Jaguars go empty and bring the overload pressure.The pressure gets home as they bring 4 to a side and play cover 3 carry. Nice job on the 5 man pressure as the sam comes untouched. They move the nose across the centers face and the DT in the A gap. B gap opens which leads to the sack!
Cover 3 while forcing slide protection
Titans defense
Presnap looks like cover 0 but go cover 3
Mug pressure look forces a protection mistake as they full slide.
The Titans used the concept 2x vs the Jaguars. They get an interception. The Titans engage their 2 ILB and then drop them into the hook. It's successful as Lawrence doesn't see the Rat defender and gets a nice pick.
Cover 3
Nice design as they drop 2 players out.
Still have a safety MOF
Cover 3
Rams ball 3rd and 13
Dolphins go cover 3
At half time the Rams make an adjustment in empty. they check release the tight end and rb. Here another double mug look but the Dolphins go cover 3
Rams are tentative, leads to a Dolphins sack as the mug look, sim pressure gives the Rams headaches
But the single high look should give away they are probably going to bail on 3rd and 13
Mug pressure looks but they bail
You see the lb’s bail and they play zone, great disguise.
Cover 3 from a mug look
Bengals vs Eagles
Bengals go empty with a te in 11 personnel.
Eagles go double mug a gap looks showing pressure and cover o. They get a protection call which tells the left tackle to come down and puts the te with the de 1x1. The Eagles bail and play cover 3.
They force the Favorable matchup with de on the tight end and the Eagles win it.
Another mug look as they show zero presnap
On the snap they rotate to cover 3
They get the protection that they want.
They just rush 4
Bear Cover 2
Bear is effective if you can engage the tackles and drop the DE. If you combine that with sending the mike, it is difficult to block.
Titans do it below!
Titans show cover 1 pre snap but on the snap play cover 2. Nice disguise as the Bengals have to go big on big and account for the OLB in protection and end up getting home with the mike getting home clean. Nice design and excellent execution.
They get the tackles to step outside which opens things up inside.
95 comes clean from depth
LB goes untouched as the guard steps to the 58 in protection and 77 is playing off 54 in protection.
Nice Design and pressure.
One last version as the Bills run a nice simulated pressure. They send the will and play cover 3. They drop the defensive end to the passing strength away from the pressure.
I hope you enjoyed my empty pressure concepts and how teams handle empty with various pressures and coverages.