Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mike Will Blitz is a five man pressure look out of the 4-3 Over Walk shell that sends both the Mike and Will linebackers off the edge or through interior gaps while the secondary rolls into a zone shell behind it. The diagram shows five underneath defenders dropping and crashing downhill immediately at the snap with two deep defenders and two flat/curl defenders spread outside the numbers, indicating a zone blitz rather than a man beater. Primary read is the interior rush lane created by the Mike, with the Will crashing off the edge as the secondary read if the quarterback steps up into the pocket.
Defensive Reads
Watch the running back pre-snap. If he stays in to block, this blitz has a numbers advantage and will get home quickly against a five man protection. Identify the offensive line slide protection before the snap. If the line slides toward the Will blitzer, user the Mike through the opposite A gap for a free run. Post-snap, key the quarterback's eyes for a quick hot route or slant since the underneath zone rotation leaves a brief window before defenders reach their landmarks. This look is vulnerable to screens and quick RPOs that attack the vacated linebacker zones, so be ready to user a spy or peel off the blitz if you see run action combined with a bubble screen. Against trips or bunch formations, confirm the flat defender can still reach his zone in time, since the blitz reduces the number of defenders available to pattern match outside.
Usage Tips
Call this on passing downs where the offense is likely to hold the ball for a deep shot, since the extra rush gets home before double moves develop.
Check the offensive formation for max protect or empty backfield pre-snap. Against empty, user the Will blitzer since there is one less blocker to account for.
Use hot route audibles sparingly here since the underneath zone drops are already tight, and adding extra defenders to the shallow zone can clog passing lanes for your own coverage players.
Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Cloud from the same Over Walk set to disguise the blitz look pre-snap, since all three share similar initial linebacker depth before the snap.
Best used on second and long or third and medium when the quarterback is likely to hold the ball an extra half second, since the interior pressure disrupts rhythm throws.
