Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Redzone Dt Drop is a zone blitz out of the Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug set, built to disguise pressure while dropping an interior lineman into a shallow zone. Both Mug linebackers show blitz off the double A gap look but one crashes off the edge with a corner while the other loops underneath, and the diagram shows three underneath defenders (two circles and a square) dropping straight down the middle to wall off shallow crossers and check routes. The primary read is the immediate flash of the crashing edge blitzer off the corner route arrow, then working inside to the looping interior defender who replaces the vacated underneath zone, this is a zone blitz designed to bait quick reads in the red zone while still generating pressure.
Defensive Reads
Watch the running back and slot receiver alignment pre-snap, if the offense keeps extra blockers in to chip the edge blitzer this play loses its pressure advantage. Key the quarterback's eyes at the snap, since the vacated underneath zone from the looping mugged linebacker is the biggest exploitable void if he does not get there in time. This beats quick game and hitch throws that rely on a clean four man rush picture since the disguised blitz arrives faster than expected. Man beater route combos with immediate breaking routes underneath can hurt this if the crashing defender is late, so time the snap count to jump the play. Shut this down defensively against empty sets or three step passing games where the ball is out before either blitzer or the drop defender can impact the throw.
Usage Tips
Call this on third and short or in tight red zone situations where offenses expect a standard four man rush and try to hit a quick underneath route. Check pre-snap for empty backfield or bunch formations since the corner blitz off the edge can get picked up easily against extra blockers, so bail into a coverage look if you see six or seven blockers stay in. Use the flat defender's outside blitz angle to user him manually and time the snap so the crash beats a quick tight end release before he can chip. Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Match from the same set to keep quarterbacks guessing between a true blitz look and a sim pressure disguise. Save this call for known passing downs since the aggressive edge crash leaves you vulnerable if the offense runs an inside handoff.
