Playbooks
Breakdown
Pinch Blitz 3 is a Cover 3 zone blitz out of Dime Load Weak that sends five rushers, including a slot corner off the edge, while dropping the remaining six into a three deep, three under zone shell. The two outside cornerbacks sink into deep thirds off their receivers' vertical stems, the deep safety rotates into the middle third, and the underneath defenders spill toward the flats and hook zones to account for shorter routes. This is a zone blitz designed to disguise pressure while still keeping three deep defenders over the top, so the primary read is to identify the extra rusher pre snap and get the ball out before the pinch pressure closes off throwing lanes underneath.
Defensive Reads
Read the release of the slot receivers post snap, since Cover 3 Match principles mean your underneath zone defenders should lock onto crossers that threaten the hook zones. Watch for offenses attacking the flat immediately after the snap, since the pinch blitz commits extra bodies inside and can leave the flat defender isolated on a quick out or flare route. Key the quarterback's drop depth pre snap, if he shows a three step drop expect a hot route beater like a slant or stick concept designed to exploit the blitz before it arrives. Identify trips or bunch formations pre snap, since these stress the zone drops and can create natural picks that free up a receiver in the shallow zone before your pressure gets home. Post snap, track the running back's release out of the backfield, since check release protections often turn into a checkdown outlet that beats the blitz if your interior rushers do not disengage quickly.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or third and medium when you expect a quick game passing concept, since the underneath zone drops are aggressive and will jump hitches, slants, and shallow crossers before the quarterback can reset his eyes.
Pre snap, check for two backs or extra tight ends that suggest a run heavy personnel package, since the pinch rush can get gashed if the offense pulls linemen into the alley where your blitzer vacated.
User the slot blitzer off the edge to time the snap count and disguise the pressure, then spy the quarterback's eyes if he starts to scramble outside the pocket toward your vacated zone.
Combine this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Match earlier in a series so the offense sees a similar three deep shell pre snap and cannot key the extra rusher until after the ball is snapped.
Avoid calling this against empty or four verticals concepts, since the single high safety can get isolated on a go route if your underneath defenders bite too hard on shorter route breaks.
