Playbooks
Breakdown
Cover 1 Robber Show 2 is a disguised man coverage defense out of the Dime 2-3-6 set that shows a two deep safety look pre snap before rotating into single high man coverage after the snap. The diagram shows the deep safety sitting in the middle of the field while the robber (the second, shallow defender shown crossing underneath) sits in the shortened hook/curl area to rob crossing routes and dig concepts, with the front five and the flanking defenders dropping into their man assignments. This is a man beater killer disguised as a zone shell, so the primary read for the defense is to bait the quarterback into thinking he has a two high shell, then close down on any in cut or crosser working through the middle of the field where the robber sits.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, identify if the quarterback is checking to a middle of field beater based on the two safety shell, since that is exactly what this call is designed to bait and punish Post snap, key the robber defender's eyes to jump any in cut, drag, or dig route working through the shallow to intermediate middle Watch for corner routes and deep outs since Cover 1 Robber leaves the flanks in true man coverage and can be exposed by good route separation to the sideline This call is vulnerable to fast developing hitches and quick game to the boundary before the robber can rotate down, so respect timing throws against it Look for user controlled defenders sitting on shallow crossers as your key that Robber is in play, then attack vertical seams or deep comebackers away from the robber's zone
Usage Tips
Show this look on early downs and passing situations where offenses expect zone coverage based on the pre snap safety alignment so the disguise pays off
Use the robber defender to sit on shallow crossers, drags, and dig routes since that is the exact route concept this call is designed to rob
Pair this with Cover 1 Hole or Cover 2 Man in your play calling sequence so quarterbacks cannot key on safety depth or defender spacing pre snap
Bring pressure with your nano blitz packages like Edge Blitz 0 or FS Will Blitz 0 in neighboring calls so offenses respect the blitz threat and cannot sit in the pocket to diagnose the disguise
Call this on third and medium when offenses are likely to attack the middle of the field with option or crossing routes, since the robber shuts down that exact area
