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 Linebacker MLB (Mike): Strong-side Inside Linebacker BLB (Buck): Weak-side Inside Linebacker WLB (Will): Weak-side Outside Linebacker DB: Defensive Backs CB: Cornerback N: Nickelback (Extra Cornerback in Nickel Formation) D: Dimeback (Extra Cornerback in Dime Formation) S: Safety FS: Free Safety SS: 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

Solid

FORMATIONS

Straight

Y Z

Y Z

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

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. Under

Y Z

Y Z

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..

Strong

FORMATIONS

Weak

Y Z

Y Z

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. Pinch

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. Spread

Y Z

Y Z

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

Gaps:

D TE

C T

B G

X
C

A G

B T

D TE

Key

DL CALLS

Blast

Y Z

Y Z

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

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

Jam

Stretch

Y Z

Y Z

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

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

Crash Right

DL CALLS

Crash Left

Y Z

Y Z

DL's shoot gaps to the right.

DL's shoot gaps to the left.

Inside Twist

Outside Twist

Y Z

Y Z

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 Strong

DL CALLS

Switch Weak

Y Z

Y Z

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

Sam Blitz

BLITZES

Mike Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Sam blitzes through C or D gap.

Mike blitzes through A or B gap.

Buck Blitz

Will Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Buck blitzes through a or B gap.

Will blitzes through C or D gap.

Sam-Mike Blitz

BLITZES

Sam-Buck Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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-Will Blitz

Mike-Buck Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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

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

Mike-Will Blitz

BLITZES

Buck-Will Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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

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

Strong Corner Blitz

Weak Corner Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Strongside CB blitzes outside.

Weakside CB blitzes outside.

Strong Blitz

BLITZES

Free Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

SS blitzes through strongside A or B gap.

FS blitzes through weakside A or B gap.

Overload Strong Blitz

Overload Weak Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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 Strong Blitz

BLITZES

Triple Weak Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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.

Deep Blitz

Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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)

Basic

MAN COVERAGE
2 3 1 1 2

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz. Buck will take #2 on weak side. With Sam-Mike Blitz With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

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

With Strong Corner Blitz 1 2 3 1 2

MAN COVERAGE
1 2

With Overload Strong Blitz 3 2 1

Y Z

Y Z

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

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

With Triple Strong Blitz 1 2 23 1 1

With Max Blitz

2/3

Y Z

Y Z

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

Basic

COVER 2 MAN

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 2 MAN

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

Basic

COVER 2 ZONE

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 2 ZONE

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

Basic

COVER 3 STRONG

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 3 STRONG

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

Basic

COVER 3 WEAK

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 3 WEAK

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

Basic

COVER 3 MAN

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 3 MAN

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

Basic

COVER 4

With Sam Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Will Blitz.

With Sam-Mike Blitz

With SS Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.

With Strong Corner Blitz

COVER 4

With Overload Strong Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.

Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.

With Triple Strong Blitz

With Max Blitz

Y Z

Y Z

Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.

PREVENT

Y Z