Playbooks
At a Glance
Overview
3-3 Cub is a defensive set inside Nickel, and that context matters because the play list here is entirely coverage and pressure based: 3 Sam Will Blitz, CB Blitz 2, SS Blitz 0, Cover 4 Show 2, Cover 3 Buzz, Mike Blitz 0, Nickel Blitz 3, LB Blitz 1, Olb Blitz 1, 1 Sam SS Blitz, Tampa 2, 3 Sam SS Blitz, Cover 1 Robber, and Cover 1 Contain. The alignment drops one hand from the standard four man front and walks a third linebacker level defender into the box, giving you a three down look with three second level bodies over Nickel 4-2-5 personnel. The RLE and NT tags tell you where the front is anchored: a rushing left end setting the edge and a nose tackle occupying the A gap, which frees the stand up bodies to blitz, spy, or bail into hook zones without the offense knowing pre-snap.
What separates 3-3 Cub from the base 4-2-5 sets in Nickel is disguise value. In a standard nickel front the offense counts four hands in the dirt and identifies the fifth rusher immediately. Here the offense sees three, has to account for three potential edge and interior blitzers, and cannot slide protection with confidence. That ambiguity is what makes 3 Sam Will Blitz, Mike Blitz 0, and Nickel Blitz 3 so effective from the same shell as Tampa 2 and Cover 4 Show 2. You are selling the same picture on every snap.
Against the pass, the set gives you the full coverage menu without a personnel substitution. Cover 1 Robber and Cover 1 Contain handle mesh and drag heavy man beaters by putting a body in the middle of the field, Cover 3 Buzz and Tampa 2 punish four verticals and deep crossers, and Cover 4 Show 2 disguises quarters behind a two high presentation to bait corner routes and deep outs. The nickel corner is your matchup lever: he travels with the slot in man calls, so you can isolate a slower slot receiver or force a tight end to win against a defensive back rather than a linebacker.
Strengths
- Three down front with three walked up second level defenders makes protection identification a guessing game, so mid tier opponents will slide the line the wrong way and give up free rushers on Mike Blitz 0 and Nickel Blitz 3.
- Full coverage spectrum from one shell: Cover 1 Robber, Cover 1 Contain, Cover 3 Buzz, Tampa 2, and Cover 4 Show 2 all present the same pre snap look, so you can rotate calls without tipping intent.
- Cover 1 Robber is a legitimate mesh and drag killer, and the robber defender is an ideal user spot for jumping shallow crossers and slants over the middle.
- The blitz package attacks from multiple angles: SS Blitz 0 and 1 Sam SS Blitz bring safety pressure, CB Blitz 2 brings the corner off the edge, and Olb Blitz 1 and LB Blitz 1 bring second level heat with man coverage behind it.
- Nickel 4-2-5 personnel keeps a fifth defensive back on the field, so you stay in position against 11 personnel spread sets without burning a timeout or eating a mismatch on substitution.
Weaknesses
- Three down linemen means a soft interior against inside zone and power runs, and offenses that identify the light box will pound the A and B gaps until you commit a safety down.
- Zero coverage calls like SS Blitz 0 and Mike Blitz 0 leave no help over the top, so a single hot routed streak or a beaten press rep turns into a touchdown.
- If the blitz does not get home, the vacated hook and curl zones behind the pressure are wide open to sit routes, spots, and delayed check downs from running backs.
- Tampa 2 and Cover 3 Buzz both surrender the flats and quick outs, and RPO heavy opponents will throw bubble screens and quick hitches all day until you press the outside corners.
- Heavy motion and bunch formations can distort the alignment of the walked up defenders, leaving one of your second level bodies chasing across the formation instead of filling his gap.
Usage Tips
Use the blitz calls on second and long and third and medium where the offense has to hold the ball, and lean on Cover 4 Show 2 or Tampa 2 on third and long when the sticks are past the intermediate window.
Do not run zero coverage calls back to back. Alternate SS Blitz 0 or Mike Blitz 0 with Cover 1 Robber from the identical pre snap shell so the offense cannot pattern match your pressure tendencies.
Take the robber or the free hook defender as your user on Cover 1 Robber and Cover 3 Buzz. Manually undercutting slants and digs is where this set generates turnovers.
Watch the back's alignment pre snap. If the offense keeps him in to block, your blitz math changes, so consider backing out of Nickel Blitz 3 and checking to a coverage call rather than rushing into a wall.
Pinch or spread the front and press the outside corners to change the picture without changing the call. Against quick game and RPO looks, press coverage plus Cover 1 Contain takes away the easy throw and keeps the quarterback in the pocket.
Against heavy run personnel, get out of 3-3 Cub entirely. The three man front is not built to hold up against downhill gap schemes with an extra tight end on the field.
