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Breakdown
Crash Blitz 3 is a Cover 3 zone blitz out of the Odd 3-4 Base 5-2 personnel that sends extra pressure off the edge while dropping into a three deep, four under shell behind it. The defensive line crashes with a stunt to occupy interior gaps and free up a blitzer, while the remaining linebackers and secondary roll into Cover 3 zone drops to protect against the pass. This is a zone based pressure package, not a man beater, and the primary read starts with identifying the free rusher created by the line stunt before working through underneath zone drops to close on shallow crossers and flat routes.
Defensive Reads
Watch the offensive line splits and running back alignment pre snap to confirm they are not sliding protection toward your stunt side, which would kill the free rusher before he gets pressure. Key the quarterback's eyes after the snap since Cover 3 is susceptible to deep out and comeback routes attacking the boundary corner if he sits too flat footed in his zone drop. Identify if the offense is running four verticals or a deep crossing combo, since the middle field safety in this Cover 3 shell must get proper depth to avoid getting split by seam routes. Look for user controlled receivers motioning into the flat pre snap, since that traffic can stress the underneath zone defenders and create natural picks against your linebackers. This play gets shut down by quick game concepts like slants and stick routes that get the ball out before the blitz arrives, so know your opponent's tendency to throw hot against pressure before calling it on early downs.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or second and medium when offenses expect a base run look out of your Odd front so the pressure catches them off guard. Check the offensive formation pre snap for trips or bunch sets that can overload the flat zones since Cover 3 leaves you vulnerable to quick out breaking combos on the boundary. User the crashing defensive lineman if you can to control the stunt timing and make sure the free rusher actually gets home instead of getting picked up late by a sliding offensive line. Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Match on early downs to disguise your zone blitz packages, then dial up Crash Blitz 3 once the quarterback starts settling into rhythm throws expecting a normal drop. Avoid calling this into empty backfield sets or heavy shotgun spread looks where a hot route to the vacated flat can beat the blitz before your underneath defenders rotate.
