Playbooks
At a Glance
In 11 playbooks
Overview
Bear Under is the 46 formation at its most run-hostile. It puts eight defenders near the line of scrimmage and covers all three interior offensive linemen. The NT lines up head up on the center and the RDT and the second tackle shade the guards, so the offensive line has no free climbers and no easy double teams to the second level. The Under shift slides the linebacker alignment and the end techniques toward the weak side. The RLE and RRE sit wide enough to squeeze the edges. More balanced looks in the formation let offenses find a bubble in the box. Bear Under removes those bubbles and forces blockers to win one on one across the front.
The set runs out of Base 4-3 personnel, which trades speed in coverage for size in the box. Inside zone, duo, power, counter and the give side of RPOs all struggle here, because the box count and the covered guards blow up the double teams those concepts need. The downside is that linebackers and the strong safety carry man and hook responsibilities against slot receivers and backs. Offenses that recognize the look will try to empty the backfield or bunch receivers to isolate a linebacker in space.
The play list is compact but disguised: Engage Eight, Gap Press, Cover 1, LB Dogs, LB Dogs 3, Cover 3 and Cover 2 Man. Most calls share the same pre-snap shell, so the opponent sees eight in the box every snap and cannot easily tell a five-man interior pressure from a spot-drop Cover 3. That uncertainty drives the set's value. The offense has to either check out of the run or throw quickly against a single-high look with pressure bearing down.
Strengths
- Covered center and guards with the NT and RDT kill inside zone, duo and power combo blocks, which frees the linebackers to run downhill untouched.
- Engage Eight and Gap Press give the same eight-man look as Cover 1 and Cover 3, so offenses cannot key the pressure pre snap. RPO reads and pass protection slides get guessed wrong.
- LB Dogs and LB Dogs 3 send interior linebacker pressure through the A and B gaps. That pressure beats half-slide protection and speeds up play-action rollouts and deep dropbacks before routes develop.
- Cover 1 and Cover 2 Man let you press outside receivers and choke quick game. When you user the robber or hole defender, slants, drags and quick ins become turnover chances.
- The heavy box ruins the give side of RPOs and forces offenses into low percentage keep reads, which puts power run teams off schedule on early downs.
Weaknesses
- Most calls leave a single deep safety. Four verticals, post wheel, seam shots and double moves stress Cover 1 and Cover 3, especially when the free safety gets held by a middle read.
- Base 4-3 personnel puts linebackers in man on slot receivers and backs. Mesh, Texas, angle routes and wheel routes win those matchups consistently.
- Bunch, stack and trips alignments create natural rubs against the man calls. The compressed Bear alignment also leaves corners short on help against quick bubble and tunnel screens.
- The seven-play menu is small, so good opponents can chart your tendencies. They will also read linebacker creep on LB Dogs and LB Dogs 3 and hot route a back to the flat or a quick slant into the vacated zone.
- Jet or orbit motion quickly shows whether you are in man or zone. Once the defender travels, the offense knows the coverage and can audible to the matching beater.
Usage Tips
Call Bear Under on first and ten, short yardage and goal line against 21, 22 and 12 personnel, where the offense wants to run between the tackles or lean on play action.
Read the formation before the snap. If the offense breaks into empty, trips or a spread 11 look, audible out of the 46 to a nickel or dime set instead of leaving linebackers on slot receivers.
User the Mike or the robber in Cover 1 and Cover 3 and sit in the middle of the field. Quick slants, digs and mesh crossers are the answer most opponents use against this look.
Alternate Engage Eight and Gap Press with Cover 3 from the same shell. Keep your blitz frequency unpredictable, and use a defensive line pinch or linebacker shift adjustment to change the rush angles without changing the play.
On third and long against a heavy set, use Cover 2 Man. It keeps two safeties over the top while you still press and match underneath, which takes away the vertical shot offenses call when they expect Cover 1.
