Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mike Scrape 3 Press is a Cover 3 zone blitz look out of the 3-4 Even, Base 5-2 personnel that shows press alignment at the corners with a Cover 3 shell behind it. The three deep defenders drop into deep thirds while the underneath defenders scrape and flow to their zone drops, with red arrows showing the second-level defenders sinking into short and intermediate zones. This is a zone beater concept for the defense, designed to squeeze the middle of the field while corners jam receivers at the line and funnel routes into the underneath scrape zones, so the primary read progression for the defense is to identify the shortest route developing over the middle first before scanning outside to the deep thirds.
Defensive Reads
Watch for trips or bunch formations that overload one side, since the scrape technique can get picked off by natural rub routes Pre-snap, check safety depth and corner press alignment to confirm the defense is actually rolling into the three deep zone shell Post-snap, key the running back out of the backfield since scrape linebackers are vulnerable to leak routes and check releases into the flat This beats spot concepts and shallow crossers because the underneath scrape defenders squeeze the middle and cut off in-cuts This gets exposed by deep out routes and corner routes attacking the boundary if the flat defender scrapes too far inside
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs when you expect the offense to run quick game or spot routes since the press corners disrupt timing on short throws
Check the play art pre-snap and confirm you have three deep defenders lined up correctly before the snap to avoid getting caught in a busted deep third
Bait the quarterback into the middle by showing the scrape look, then use the user-controlled linebacker to jump underneath crossers or spot drops
Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Cloud in your play-calling sequence so offenses cannot key on the same deep shell every snap
Sub this in against aggressive man beater route concepts since the press look at the corners disrupts release timing before receivers stem into their breaks
