Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mid Blitz out of the 1-4 Dbl Mug set in Dime brings a six-man pressure package with all six underneath defenders shown crashing downhill at the snap. The diagram shows two mugged linebackers over the interior gaps combining with the defensive line to overload the middle of the protection, while the deep safeties and outside corners hold their pre-snap perimeter alignment to play off the top. This is a pressure package designed to collapse the pocket up the middle and force a quick, inaccurate throw rather than a coverage beater, so the primary read is simply winning contain up front and trusting the shell behind it to hold up on anything that gets out late.
Defensive Reads
Watch the running back and tight end pre-snap, if either stays in to block you have extra time to close on the quarterback and should stay aggressive with your user rush Identify if the offense checks to a hot route or screen at the mugged linebacker alignment, since teams will try to throw quickly behind the blitz to beat it This pressure is most vulnerable to any route breaking to the flats or a quick screen, so if you see a screen look develop, be ready to peel off with a spy or user the closest defender to the sideline Man beaters with speed out of the backfield can hurt this call if the interior blitzers do not generate quick pressure, so timing your rush trigger is critical This blitz overwhelms teams that hold five in protection or use max protect shotgun sets, but struggles against quick game concepts and hot route sight adjusts
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or short yardage when you expect a run or a quick game-plan throw, since the interior pressure is designed to blow up plays before they develop
Check the offensive personnel and if they have only five in protection, this blitz has a strong chance to get a free rusher through the mugged A gaps
Use pre-snap motion adjustments sparingly here since your focus should be on identifying if the offense is sliding protection to the mug alignment
Pair this with Cover 1 Hole or Cover 3 Sky earlier in a series so the offense has seen a two high shell before you bring Mid Blitz, keeping them guessing on where the extra rushers come from
If the quarterback has a quick trigger finger, mix in Nickel Overload 3 as a change up blitz from a different look to keep the pocket picture unpredictable
