Playbooks
Blitz Loop Sim 3 is a simulated pressure package out of the 2-4 Swap Dbl Mug look in Nickel personnel, designed to disguise a five-man rush behind a three-deep zone shell on the back end. The loop element sends a defensive lineman looping around the edge while a linebacker fills the interior gap, creating a stunt that confuses offensive line blocking assignments and gets an unblocked rusher to the quarterback. The primary read starts with the quarterback's eyes on the deep middle third defender, then progresses to the underneath zone droppers who are reading the pocket and squeezing crossing routes, since this call still gets three defenders deep for Cover 3 Sim protection while the front generates pressure with only a five man rush.
Pre-snap, identify the double mug alignment at the second level and recognize that both inside linebackers are showing blitz but only one or two are actually coming, this is the core disguise of the sim package. Check safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are showing two high but rotate down to a single deep defender post snap that confirms the Cover 3 Sim shell underneath the pressure look. Post snap, key the offensive tackle and guard on the play side of the loop, if they lock onto the wrong rusher due to the stunt exchange that confirms the free rusher lane is open. This call beats slide protection and man blocking schemes that are not accounting for the exchange, since blockers pick up the initial threat and get lost when the looper replaces the dropped defender. Watch for hot routes and quick game concepts that attack the vacated underneath zone immediately after the mugged linebackers drop, since a savvy quarterback will throw into that space before the loop rusher completes the stunt.
Show the double mug look pre-snap to bait the quarterback into thinking a full six or seven man blitz is coming, then let the loop stunt work off that disguise for a free rusher off the edge or through the A gap.
Use this on early down and distance or in obvious dropback passing situations where the offense expects man pressure, since the underlying Cover 3 Sim shell holds up against deep shots while the loop still generates a quick sack or hurry.
User the looping defensive lineman or the mugged linebacker post snap to control the stunt timing manually, this lets you time the loop against the offensive tackle's set and beat slide protection that is keying the double mug alignment.
Pair this call with Blitz Loop 0 and Blitz Loop 3 in the same set to keep the offense guessing between zero coverage all out pressure and this sim pressure look, since all three show the identical double mug picture before the snap.
Avoid calling this against quick game or three step drops, since the sim pressure needs an extra half second to develop and can get picked apart by hitches and stick routes thrown before the loop rusher arrives.