Playbooks
Edge Blitz 3 out of the 3-3-5 3 High Over set is a five-man pressure package that sends both edge rushers off the corners while dropping into a three-deep, three-under zone shell behind it. The blocking assignment for the offense has to account for the widened rush lanes, making this a great look against tackles who are slow off the snap or backs who whiff on edge protection. The primary read for the defense is to time the edge rush with the quarterback's drop, forcing an early or errant throw into the three-under zone that sits underneath, and this package is built to beat man concepts and quick game rather than deep shot plays.
Watch the running back's alignment and blocking assignment pre-snap. If he is checking the edge rusher, the blitz will bounce outside and take longer to get home. Key the offensive tackle's stance and depth. A pass-heavy stance with a wide base signals he is anticipating outside pressure, so time your edge blitz timing to his first step. Post-snap, monitor the quarterback's eyes toward the flat and underneath zones since the three-under coverage is designed to bait a quick throw into a waiting defender. This package gets exploited by quick screens and RPO bubble concepts that attack the vacated edge space, so if the offense audibles into a screen look, be ready to squeeze down with your zone defenders. Hot routes that convert outside receivers into quick slants or hitches can beat the underneath zone before the edge pressure ever affects the throw, so recognize spread bunch or stack formations that signal a rub route designed to exploit this soft spot.
Call this on early downs or second-and-medium when you expect the offense to lean on quick game or shotgun spread sets, since the edge pressure disrupts timing before deep routes develop.
Check the offensive tackles pre-snap. If they are wide splits or the tight end is releasing outside, that edge rusher has a clean runway and this play wins immediately.
Use pre-snap motion or a shift to bait the quarterback into thinking it is a standard 3 High Over shell, then let the edge blitz hit before the protection can slide.
Pair this with Cover 3 Match or Cover 2 Match earlier in a series so the offense sees the same 3 High Over shell and cannot distinguish the blitz look from a standard drop-back coverage call.
If the user rushes the edge defender manually, spy the running back's check-release with your linebacker to shut down the outlet valve and force the quarterback to hold the ball longer.