Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 11 playbooks
Breakdown
46 Mid Blitz out of the Bear front sends four rushers straight up the middle, with the two interior defensive linemen and both attacking linebackers crashing downhill through the A and B gaps to collapse the pocket immediately. The deep safety holds a single high shell while the remaining defenders man up over the underneath receiving threats, making this a man-heavy blitz package built to overload interior protection. Primary read is the pocket disruption itself: if the rush wins fast, the quarterback is forced into a bad throw before any route develops, so the user should key on the running back's blitz pickup responsibility first before diagnosing the quarterback's eyes.
Defensive Reads
Watch the offensive line's protection slide at the snap, if they are sliding toward the interior blitzers you have a clean two way go off the edge that the play design does not exploit, so be ready to bail into coverage responsibilities. Key the running back's alignment and first step, if he stays in to chip or double the interior rush, your blitz timing will be delayed and man coverage underneath needs to hold longer. This package is most vulnerable to quick game concepts like slants and hitches thrown before the rush arrives, so if you see a spread trips look pre-snap consider audibling to a different call in the set like Gap Press. Identify the single high safety shell before the snap, since it confirms the man coverage principles underneath, if the offense motions to create a favorable matchup on that single high defender expect them to attack it immediately. Against play-action, discipline is critical, the interior rush lanes can be exploited by rollout throws to the flat, so linebackers not directly rushing must stay patient and read run action before committing fully upfield.
Usage Tips
Call this on third and medium or third and long when you expect the offense to hold protection and take a shot downfield, since the interior pressure removes the quarterback's clean pocket before deep routes can break.
Check pre-snap for a running back staying in to block, because that changes the blitz math and you may need to spy or peel off with a linebacker instead of sending everyone.
Pair this with Cover 1 from the same Bear set so quarterbacks cannot distinguish between a five man rush and a man blitz look based on pre-snap alignment.
Use Slant Weak or Slant Weak 3 on early downs to set up the tendency of dropping into coverage, then hit this Mid Blitz on a down where the offense expects another zone drop.
Avoid calling this against empty backfield sets or quick game spread formations, since the interior rush takes longer to develop than a three step drop and gives the quarterback an easy answer.
