Playbooks
SS Dog 3 is a strong safety blitz package built out of the 2-4 Swap Dbl Mug front in Nickel personnel. The SS fires off the edge or through an interior gap as an extra rusher while the defense drops into a Cover 3 shell behind it, giving you three deep defenders and underneath zone help to protect against the pass. The primary read is the quarterback: track his eyes to identify where he wants to go, then trust the underneath zone defenders to react and close on the shorter, quicker throws while the blitz pressures the pocket.
Watch the running back alignment pre-snap, if he stays home to block the SS blitz you know the offense is respecting the pressure and will likely throw quick game. Identify the offensive tackle and tight end assignments post-snap, if they slide to double the SS you should expect the interior rush lanes to be cleaner. This blitz beats teams that rely on five step drops and deep dig or curl routes because the underneath zone defenders sit in the throwing lanes while the rush disrupts timing. Hot routes and quick screens can beat this call if the user does not react fast enough to jump the flat or bubble screen, so keep discipline in the underneath zone drops. Look for empty backfield formations pre-snap since they signal the offense has no extra blocker for the SS, making the blitz timing even more effective.
Disguise the blitz by mugging both linebackers at the line before the snap so the offensive line cannot identify where the extra rusher is coming from.
Use this on third and medium to third and long situations where quarterbacks are more likely to hold the ball and climb the pocket into pressure.
User the strong safety on the blitz to time your rush with the snap count and avoid running into blockers, then spy the middle of the field with your eyes for scrambling quarterbacks.
Pair SS Dog 3 with SS Sim 2 and Blitz Loop 3 from this same set to keep the same pre-snap look while alternating between different pressure angles and drop coverage.
Call this against shotgun spread sets and empty backfields where the offense has fewer blockers to pick up the extra rusher.