Playbooks
1 DT LB Loop is a pressure package out of the Nickel 2-4 Swap Dbl Mug set designed to disguise where the extra rushers are coming from before the snap. The defensive tackle loops around the edge while a linebacker fills the interior gap he vacated, creating a stunt that confuses zone and gap blocking assignments on the offensive line. The primary read for the defense is to get the DT looper unblocked off the initial line movement, and if the loop is picked up, fall back on the underneath linebacker and DB zone drops to squeeze any hot throws or checkdowns.
Read the offensive line splits pre-snap, if the tackles widen out expecting outside pressure the loop concept has a clean lane to the quarterback Watch the running back alignment, if he stays in to help protect against the mugged look, the interior linebacker fill behind the loop becomes the free rusher This beats man protection schemes and slide protections that overcommit to the initial mug alignment, since the loop attacks the space vacated by the stunting defensive tackle Cover 2 and Tampa 2 shells behind this blitz hold up well against play action rollouts and deep shots since the loop forces quick decisions Watch for hot route sight adjusts to the flat or slant, if the quarterback recognizes the mug and audibles to a quick game beater, the loop will not have time to affect the throw Zone drops from the underneath linebackers must stay disciplined against RPO run reads, since a bad key by the second level defender opens up the backside cutback lane
Show the double mug look pre-snap to bait the quarterback into thinking a straight A gap blitz is coming, then let the DT loop develop after the snap for max disguise value
Use this on early downs against gap and zone blocking schemes that struggle to pass off looping defensive linemen, especially against offenses that run a lot of inside zone or man concepts up front
Pair this with SS Sim 2 or Nickel Sim 2 in the same set so the offense cannot key on your mug look as an automatic blitz tell
Mix in Blitz Loop 3 and Blitz Loop 0 from this set on obvious passing downs to keep the same pre-snap picture while varying who actually loops and who drops
Avoid calling this on third and long against quick game or screen heavy tendencies since the loop takes an extra beat to develop and can be picked up easily against sight adjust throws