Playbooks

Roll Cover 3 Cloud

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 3 Cloud is a zone rotation coverage out of the Dime 2-3-6 Big Dime 4-1-6 personnel, designed to disguise a three deep shell while rolling the strong safety down into the cloud (flat) technique over the number two receiver. The corner to that side sits in an outside cloud alignment to squeeze bubble and flat routes, while the two remaining deep defenders bracket the field into thirds behind a single high safety rotation. This is a zone beater against the run and quick game, and the primary read progression is flat to curl to deep third, with the user reading the flat defender first to take away RPO bubble and hitch throws before working back to the intermediate hook zone and finally the deep middle third.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, check the safety alignment for a two high shell that rotates down at the snap, this is the tell for the cloud technique coming from the strong side. Watch the corner's outside leverage on the cloud side, if he is sitting soft and squeezed toward the flat that confirms the cloud rotation and tells you to expect quick out or bubble jumps. Post snap, key the user controlled strong safety, if he sprints hard to the flat immediately, any speed out or flat route to that side will be undercut, so work the middle hook or opposite deep third instead. Identify if the linebackers are dropping into hook zones with proper depth, shallow drops leave a soft spot for in cuts and drag routes over the middle, especially against man beater crossing routes. Look for blitz packages disguised behind the two high shell, since Dime personnel with only one true linebacker can be vulnerable to interior gaps if extra rushers are sent, punishing this with a quick RPO handoff or hot route to the vacated middle read.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or second and medium when you expect quick game or RPO tempo from the offense since the cloud technique jumps flat and bubble routes immediately.

Pre snap, identify if the offense is in a stack or bunch to the cloud side, since the rolled safety can get picked, so consider shifting the strength check or motioning your Sam linebacker for a cleaner path.

User the strong safety in the cloud rotation to jump any quick out or flat route, then spy the running back on wheel routes since this leaves a natural void underneath if he releases vertical.

Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Buzz Mable in the same set so the quarterback sees a similar pre snap shell but gets a different flat defender rotation, keeping run fits and coverage picture disguised on early downs.

Avoid calling this against heavy four verticals or trips formations without adjusting the deep third defender's landmark, since the cloud rotation can leave the deep half stretched if the safety help is late getting over the top.