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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Edge Blitz 2 brings pressure off both edges out of the 3-3-5 Nickel 5-1-5 personnel, with the two outside rushers crashing off the corners while the interior defenders drop into underneath zone responsibility. Behind the blitz, the coverage rotates into a two deep shell with the two deep safeties splitting the field and both slot defenders sinking into curl-flat zones, while the two linebackers who are not blitzing cross underneath to wall off the middle read areas. This is a Cover 2 zone blitz designed to disguise pressure pre-snap and force the quarterback into a quick, incorrect decision, with the primary read progression starting on the two crossing underneath defenders reading the quarterback's eyes before working out to the flat zones and finally up to the deep halves.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check if the offense is sliding protection toward one edge, since that tells you which rusher will win first and where to expect the hot route. Watch the two deep safeties for their post-snap depth, if they sink too fast into their halves it opens a throwing window underneath for slot receivers on quick outs. Key the running back's release, if he stays in to chip block the edge rusher the quarterback is likely holding the ball for a deeper shot, which favors your coverage rotation. This play beats man beater mesh and drag concepts because the underneath crossers collide with those routes, but it is vulnerable to quick RPO throws and hot route slants if the offense diagnoses the blitz pre-snap. Get consistent pressure by user-controlling one of the edge rushers and using a speed-to-power move if the offensive tackle sets too far outside, collapsing the pocket before the deep zones are tested.
Usage Tips
Call this on third and medium to third and long when you expect the offense to hold protection for a deeper route, since the edge pressure collapses the pocket before double moves develop.
Disguise the blitz by aligning your slot defenders wide pre-snap so the offense reads two-high safety shell and does not immediately anticipate the edge rush.
Use the crossing underneath zone defenders to jump quick hitches and slants over the middle, since that is where this play is designed to bait the quarterback.
Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 4 Drop in the same set to keep the quarterback guessing between two-high and three-high shells presnap while still bringing pressure from different spots.
Avoid calling this against empty formations or heavy play-action rollout teams, since the edge rushers can be manipulated wide by rollout action, opening running lanes for a scrambling quarterback.
