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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
SS Blitz 3 is a Cover 3 zone blitz out of Big Nickel Over G that brings five rushers to the line, including the strong safety off the edge, while dropping five defenders into a zone shell behind it. The three deep defenders run vertical seams to their thirds while the two underneath purple defenders sink into the flats or curl areas, and the olive defender works a shallow crossing zone in the middle to help against drag routes and quick game. This is a zone beater against man concepts and a solid answer to quick-hitting passing attacks, with the primary read progression starting on the vertical hole shot deep middle, then working down to the underneath crossers if the quarterback holds the ball and the rush gets home.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the running back or slot receiver aligned to the strong safety blitz side, since that is the hole this play is designed to attack in protection. Watch for empty or spread sets that indicate quick game, since the underneath zone defenders are positioned to jump flat and curl routes before they develop. Post-snap, key the deep middle hole first since the vertical seam defender is your first run support and pass drop responsibility against four vertical shots. This beats man concepts that rely on receivers running away from zone leverage, but it can be exposed by quick slants or stick routes thrown before the five man rush closes the pocket. Watch out for max protect or six man protection schemes, since they can pick up the extra rusher and give the quarterback time to find soft spots in the zone.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or third and medium when you expect a quick game or shotgun spread attack that likes to throw hot against pressure.
Check the offensive formation pre-snap for empty backfield or bunch sets, since those often try to beat five man pressure with quick outs and slants that this zone shell can jump.
Use the strong safety blitz to attack the weak side protection edge, especially against offenses that slide protection toward the passing strength.
Mix this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Match from the same set so the offense sees a similar shell pre-snap but cannot key the blitzer, keeping the quarterback guessing on where the extra rusher comes from.
If the offense starts hot routing receivers to beat the blitz, alternate with WS Blitz 1 or WS Blitz 2 to bring pressure from the opposite side and force incomplete protection reads.
