Playbooks

Roll Cover 2 Invert

Dime·2-3-6·Big Dime 4-1-6

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationDime

Set2-3-6

Personnel

Big Dime 4-1-62 EDGE2 DTMIKE3 CBFS2 SS

In 47 playbooks

3-4 DefenseDefense Bears DefenseDefense Bills DefenseDefense Broncos DefenseDefense Cardinals DefenseDefense Chargers DefenseDefense Colts DefenseDefense Cowboys DefenseDefense Eagles DefenseDefense Falcons DefenseDefense Giants DefenseDefense Jets DefenseDefense

Breakdown

Roll Cover 2 Invert is a zone defense out of the Dime 2-3-6 set that rotates the safeties into an inverted shell while the corners fold down to play the flats and shorter routes. The invert mechanic sends one safety over the top as the deep half player while the other safety rotates down to rob underneath crossers, giving this call a built in answer to slot fades and quick out combos. This is a zone beater killer more than a blitz package, so the primary read progression for the defense is: identify the deep half rotation post snap, then work from the flat defenders (corners) up to the underneath robber safety to close passing lanes on drag and flat combos before peeling back to protect the deep middle seam.

Defensive Reads

Watch the free safety rotation immediately after the snap, if he rolls down hard to the flat or shallow zone the deep middle is exposed to a skinny post or deep corner route. Key the underneath robber defender, he is your best user controlled asset to jump drag routes, mesh concepts, and shallow crosses that attack the middle of the field. This shell struggles against four verticals or any concept that stretches both deep halves simultaneously, since the invert rotation commits extra attention underneath and leaves single high support deep. Watch for offensive motion that identifies the invert side pre-snap, savvy quarterbacks will attack the opposite hash from where the safety rotates down. This coverage is vulnerable to well timed levels concepts and deep out routes to the boundary, since the corner is often occupied with flat responsibility and cannot get depth quickly enough to challenge the sideline throw.

Usage Tips

Use this call on early downs or in obvious pass sets where you expect quick game concepts like slants, flats, and stick routes since the inverted safety is designed to jump those throws.

Pre-snap, identify if the offense is running a bunch or stack look to the trips side, because the invert rotation can be attacked by a vertical seam if your robber safety bites too aggressively on the shallow crossers.

Hot route the flat defending corners into a hard squat technique against teams that live on quick outs, this tightens the shell and takes away the easy completion that beats standard Cover 2.

Pair this play in your call sequence with Cover 2 Man or Cover 2 Sink to disguise the invert rotation, since all three start with a similar pre-snap shell but the coverage responsibilities shift after the snap.

Mix in Roll Cover 3 Cloud or Roll King from the same set on early downs to keep the offense guessing on which safety is rotating and in which direction, forcing hesitation in the quarterback's presnap read.