Playbooks
Overview
Broncos Defense and NFL Live Broncos Defense are the same book for practical purposes: all 352 plays appear in both and there are zero set differences, so anything you lab or build an audible package around in one carries over directly to the other. Pick whichever cut your mode loads by default and don't expect a schematic edge from switching. At 352 plays across 7 formations and 24 sets, Broncos Defense sits slightly above the middle of the 64 defensive team playbooks in size (larger than 57% of them), and nearly all of that depth is concentrated in sub packages.
Nickel carries the book with 168 plays (48%) across 9 sets. That includes Nickel 2-4-5, Nickel 4-2-5 and Big Nickel 4-2-5 personnel, so you can stay in five DB looks while varying box weight. 3-4 is the second pillar at 75 plays (21%) across 6 sets, with Base 3-4 and Base 5-2 personnel for early downs and run stop calls. Dime adds 66 plays (19%) across 3 sets through Dime 4-1-6, Big Dime 4-1-6 and Big Dime 3-2-6 groupings. The remaining 12% is thin specialty coverage: one 4-3 set (15 plays), three Goal Line Defense sets (13), one 4-4 set (9) and one Prevent set (6) built on Big Quarter 3-1-7.
The concept list tells you how this book wants to play: single high shells (Cover 1, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 3, Cover 3 Sky) paired with pressure tags like LB Blitz, Pinch and Line Stunt. Calls such as 0 LB Cross Games, 1 Edge Pinch, 3 Deep Blitz and 2 Invert Hard Flat show a plan built on disguising pressure out of sub personnel, keeping a middle safety over the top and forcing quick decisions. It fits a player who wants to live in Nickel and Dime against spread offenses, drop into 3-4 when the run shows, and win with front manipulation rather than exotic two high coverage.
Scheme Fit
Broncos Defense wants a deep, athletic secondary: at least three cornerbacks who can hold up in press man for the Cover 1 calls, plus a rangy free safety with high Zone Coverage and Speed to cover the deep middle in Cover 1 and Cover 3. Up front it rewards quick edge rushers and interior linemen with strong Finesse and Power Move ratings for the Pinch and stunt calls, along with a sideline to sideline linebacker you can user in Cover 1 Hole. It suits a player who likes to live in sub packages against spread offenses, blitz from disguise, and accept some risk against heavy formations in exchange for pressure and single high flexibility.
Example Plays from this Playbook
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Strengths
- Nearly half the book is Nickel (168 plays, 9 sets), so you can stay in one personnel family and still rotate Cover 1, Cover 3, LB blitzes and line stunts without subbing, which hides your call from opponents reading formation changes.
- Three Nickel personnel groupings (Nickel 2-4-5, Nickel 4-2-5, Big Nickel 4-2-5) let you adjust box weight against 11 and 12 personnel while keeping five DBs, something books with a single Nickel look cannot match.
- The 3-4 package is deep for a secondary formation (75 plays, 6 sets), with Base 3-4 and Base 5-2 personnel. That gives you a real early down run stop and Pinch front so you are not stuck in sub packages on first and 10.
- Dime depth (66 plays, 3 sets) with both Dime 4-1-6 and Big Dime 3-2-6 personnel lets you match empty and 10 personnel on third and long while still sending pressure like 3 Deep Blitz or dropping into Cover 3 Sky.
- The concept pairing of Cover 1 Hole and Cover 3 Sky with Line Stunt and Pinch tags supports simulated pressure: show a blitz look, stunt the front, and let a user controlled defender rob the hole underneath.
Weaknesses
- The 4-3 is only one set and 15 plays, so if you prefer a four man even front on early downs you will run out of variety quickly and opponents will recognize the handful of calls you repeat.
- Heavy personnel answers are thin: 4-4 has 9 plays in one set and Goal Line Defense has 13 across three sets. Opponents living in 22 and 23 personnel or power run looks can force you into a tiny menu or into lighter Nickel boxes.
- The coverage concepts are built around single high Cover 1 and Cover 3 families, so offenses running four verticals, seam shots and post wheel combos can attack the deep middle and the deep thirds once they identify the shell.
- Prevent is a single set with 6 plays, leaving few end of half or end of game options beyond it and making your two minute prevent calls easy to predict.
- With 88% of the book in Nickel, 3-4 and Dime, film study on your tendencies is simple. A patient opponent can key on the sub package pressure looks and set protection or hot route to a quick slant or flat against the blitz side.
Usage Tips
Build your base audible package in Nickel: use the Nickel 4-2-5 sets for standard downs against 11 personnel, keep a Cover 3 or Cover 3 Sky call for first and 10, and a Cover 1 Hole call for second and medium to rob crossers with a user controlled linebacker.
On first down against 12 or 21 personnel, reach for the 3-4 sets with Base 5-2 or Base 3-4 personnel and a Pinch or run stop call like 1 Edge Pinch to squeeze inside zone and force runs to the sideline.
Make Dime your third and 7 plus home. Pair a Cover 3 zone drop with a pressure call like 3 Deep Blitz and use Big Dime 3-2-6 when you need an extra linebacker body against draws or RB screens.
Save Line Stunt and LB Blitz calls such as 0 LB Cross Games for third and short to medium in Nickel. Show the same pre snap look as your zone calls, then stunt the front so the offensive line slides the wrong way.
Inside the 5 or on fourth and 1, go straight to Goal Line Defense with 6-2-3 personnel, and treat the single 4-4 set as a change up on short yardage runs rather than a staple, since its 9 plays get predictable fast.
Formations in this playbook
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