Playbooks
Mike Sam Cross 3 is a Cover 3 zone blitz call out of the Over Wide 2-5 Base 4-3 personnel that sends the Mike and Sam linebackers on a cross blitz through the interior gaps while dropping the defensive line into a three deep, three under zone shell behind it. The blitzers cross paths at the snap to confuse the offensive line's blocking assignments and create a free rusher if the protection fails to pass off the exchange. Your primary read is the interior of the offensive line at the snap: identify which blocker is late picking up the crossing linebacker, then work your eyes to the underlying flat and hook zone defenders to close on any quick game answers the quarterback throws in response to pressure.
Watch the running back's alignment pre-snap. If he is aligned to help block the Mike or Sam gap, expect the crossing blitz to be picked up and be ready to fall back into your zone drop responsibilities. Read the offensive line splits before the snap. Tight splits often mean the line is anticipating interior pressure and will slide protection to pick up the cross. This play beats offenses that rely on max protect shots downfield or slow developing play-action, since the underneath zone defenders can sit on comeback and dig routes while the cross gets home. Hot routes and quick game concepts like stick or slant flat combos will shut this down, since the ball comes out before the crossing linebackers reach the quarterback. Post-snap, key the quarterback's eyes immediately after the snap. If he is looking to a hot route on the side away from the blitz, sink your zone defenders on that side rather than staying flat footed in a traditional Cover 3 landmark.
Call this on early downs or second and medium when offenses expect a base zone drop rather than pressure, since the cross action disguises as a standard Cover 3 look before the snap.
Check the running back and tight end pre-snap. If they are staying in to block, your interior cross has a much higher chance of getting home clean.
User the Sam linebacker through his cross rep so you can adjust his path in real time if the offensive line slides protection toward him, then bail into a shallow zone if you sense the blitz is picked up.
Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Tampa 2 in your call sequence so quarterbacks cannot key blitz tells from your pre-snap alignment, since all three plays start from a similar look.
Avoid calling this against empty or spread sets with quick game concepts, since the crossing blitzers take an extra beat to develop and quick outs or slants will beat the zone before the pressure arrives.