Playbooks
CB Bench Sim 2
Breakdown
CB Bench Sim 2 is a simulated pressure package out of the 3-3 Load Dbl Mug in Nickel that shows a two-deep shell with underneath zone drops. Both deep defenders bench off to the outside thirds while the two safeties/nickel underneath sink into curl-flat and hook zones, and the diagram shows one corner rotating down into an overhang zone as designed run support before the blitz comes free. The blocking and coverage shows a Cover 2 zone beater package with a corner blitz mugged up front, and the drop-back read progression starts with the flat and curl zone defenders to identify soft spots before working back to the deep half.
Defensive Reads
Read the quarterback's eyes to the flat and curl zones first since those underneath defenders are sitting in the throwing lanes on quick game. Key the running back's release out of the backfield, if he chips and stays in, the corner blitz has time to close on the quarterback. Watch for offenses attacking the vacated boundary with a hitch or quick out where the blitzing corner left his zone, that is the primary hole in this call. Identify max protect or six-man protection pre-snap, which tells you the corner blitz may get picked up and you need to bail into coverage. Look for empty or spread formations that isolate the flat defender one-on-one, since that stresses the sim pressure's underneath zone integrity.
Usage Tips
Diagnose pre-snap whether the offense is stacking receivers into the boundary since the corner blitz timing depends on a clean release lane. Use this call on early downs or obvious pass downs where offenses expect a standard shell, since the simulated pressure disguises as Cover 2 before the corner blitz arrives. Spy the running back in pass pro with your user if the offense likes to check it down against six-man pressure looks. Pair this with Cover 3 Sky or Cover 3 Match from the same set to keep quarterbacks guessing between two-deep and three-deep shells off identical Nickel alignment. Bring the corner blitz on rhythm passing downs like second and medium so the quarterback's first read into the flat gets disrupted before he can climb the pocket.
