Playbooks

Cover 3 Buzz Show 2

Dime·2-3-6·Big Dime 4-1-6

Cover 3 Cover 3 Buzz Zone Coverage

Likely unavailable in the playbook builder

This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationDime

Set2-3-6

Personnel

Big Dime 4-1-62 EDGE2 DTMIKE3 CBFS2 SS

In 3 playbooks

Superstar Blitz DefenseDefense Superstar Man DefenseDefense Superstar Zone DefenseDefense

Breakdown

Cover 3 Buzz Show 2 is a zone coverage disguise play out of the Dime 2-3-6 set that shows a two-high safety look before rotating into a three deep, four under shell at the snap. The buzz element brings a safety down into the underneath zone to cloud the flat or seam read, giving you an extra body against RPO and quick game concepts while still protecting the deep thirds. As the defender in control, your primary read progression starts with the quarterback's eyes to bait a throw into the buzzed zone, then you flow to your assigned underneath window while trusting the deep three to eliminate the vertical shots.

Defensive Reads

Watch the offensive formation for stacked or bunch releases that are designed to beat single high zone drops on the backside of the buzz rotation. Key the running back and slot receiver releases immediately since curl flat and flood concepts try to attack the buzzed defender before he fully rotates down. If the quarterback stares down one side of the field after the snap, that usually means he read the pre-snap two high look and is about to throw into the now occupied buzz zone. This coverage struggles against quick out and hitch combinations to the boundary if your cornerback does not sink his zone drop fast enough. Beware of play action rollouts and RPO reads that attack the flat immediately after the safety declares his rotation, since that split second window is where this shell gets exposed.

Usage Tips

Show the two high safety picture pre-snap and hold it as long as possible before the ball is snapped to freeze the quarterback into thinking it is Cover 2 or Cover 4.

Use this call on early downs and third and medium situations where offenses lean on quick game and RPO reads that attack a single high shell.

User the buzzing safety and sit on inside breaking routes like slants and digs since the disguise is designed to jump exactly those throws.

Pair this play with Cover 3 Sky and Cover 2 Invert in your call sheet so quarterbacks cannot key on your two high shows and get comfortable.

Avoid calling this against heavy four verticals or deep attacking concepts since the late rotation can leave a half second of vulnerability up top if you jump the buzz defender too early.