Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Tampa 2 out of Dime Load Weak is a zone coverage shell built to defend against vertical passing attacks while still holding up underneath. The two deep safeties bracket the outside thirds while the middle linebacker (the olive zone) drops deep down the middle of the field, creating a true three deep safety look behind a four man underneath zone of two corners and two linebackers. The primary read progression starts at the deep middle hole, since that MLB drop is what separates this from a standard Cover 2 and is designed to eliminate the deep post and seam throws that usually torch two deep safety shells.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment, since both safeties should be aligned deep on the outside thirds while the MLB shows up in the box before bailing to his deep middle drop at the snap. Post-snap, key on the MLB run and drop speed because slow linebackers in real Madden gameplay can get outrun by faster tight ends or slot receivers on seam routes before reaching the deep middle zone. This shell is vulnerable to hard outside breaking routes and deep comebacks to the corners, since the underneath zone defenders are focused on shallow crossers and can be baited out of position. Watch for user controlled receivers sitting down in the flats behind the underneath zone drops, since Tampa 2 leaves natural spacing conflicts for the corner and linebacker zone assignments there. Against quick game and RPO concepts, this coverage can be slow to react because most defenders are dropping to zone landmarks rather than reading the quarterback, making it exploitable on quick outs and hitch routes.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or third and long when you expect the offense to attack vertically with seam routes or posts, since the deep middle drop closes that window that regular Cover 2 leaves open.
Pre-snap, identify if the offense is running four verticals or double posts, both of which this play is designed to shut down by clogging the deep middle with the MLB.
Hot route the underneath linebackers to sit at 8 to 10 yards if you see a lot of shallow crossers or drag combos attacking the flat to hook zones.
Pair this call with Cover 2 Drop or Cover 3 Sky in your play-calling sequence so quarterbacks cannot key on the deep middle drop and start attacking flat zones or the deep middle hole with confidence.
Use user control on the MLB dropping to the deep middle to jump any tight end or slot receiver trying to sit down in the honey hole between the two deep safeties.
