Playbooks

Cover 6

Dime·2-3-6·Big Dime 4-1-6

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

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Quick Reference

FormationDime

Set2-3-6

Personnel

Big Dime 4-1-62 EDGE2 DTMIKE3 CBFS2 SS

In 1 playbook

Franchise Defense QuartersworldDefense

Breakdown

Cover 6 out of the Dime 2-3-6 set is a split field zone coverage that combines Cover 4 quarters to one side of the field with Cover 2 to the other, giving the defense a hybrid shell against pass heavy personnel. The two deep safeties and corner to the quarters side split the deep third into quarters technique to shut down vertical shots, while the boundary side plays a two deep look with the corner sitting in the flat and safety rotating over the top. This is a zone beater killer rather than an offensive concept, and the primary defensive read progression is quarters side deep threats first (the number two receiver's vertical release), then boundary flat and curl defenders reacting to shallow crossers and out routes.

Defensive Reads

Watch the offensive formation strength pre snap and align your quarters rotation to the side with more receiving threats, since that side is built to shut down vertical routes and double moves. Key the number two receiver on the quarters side immediately after the snap, if he releases vertically the safety should stay high and not bite on any underneath fake. On the two deep side, read the flat defender's leverage against out routes and speed outs, this is the soft spot of the coverage that man beater and zone beater route combos with a high low read will attack. Look for offenses running deep crossers or dig routes that travel from the quarters side to the two deep side, since the seam between the rotated safety and the flat defender can be picked apart if your user does not rob that throwing lane. Beware empty formations and trips looks that overload the two deep side with three receivers, forcing your flat and corner defenders into conflict and opening throwing windows underneath before the safety can rotate over.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or third and medium when you expect the offense to test the perimeter with out routes or curl flat combos since the two deep side is vulnerable underneath if you do not user the flat defender aggressively. Identify which side of the field has the bigger passing strength pre snap and set your quarters rotation to that side so your extra defender is where the offensive coordinator is most likely to attack. User control the safety on the two deep side to rob deep in breaking routes since Cover 6 leaves a natural seam between the flat defender and safety that man beater crossers like to exploit. Mix this play with Cover 6 Show 2 and Cover 6 Willie from the same set to disguise the shell, showing two deep safeties pre snap before rotating into the quarters look on the strength side to bait the quarterback into throwing into what looks like a Cover 2 hole. Avoid calling this against heavy run personnel since the light box in Dime 2-3-6 makes it exploitable to gap runs and designed QB run concepts, save it for clear passing situations on second and long or third and long.