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Breakdown
Field Sim 3 is a simulated pressure package out of the 3-3 Over Nickel front that shows blitz personnel at the line while dropping into a Cover 3 zone shell behind it. Both outside linebackers/ends drop vertically into deep thirds while the slot defenders sink into underneath zone drops (curl/flat areas), and the two interior rushers to the closed side crash the A and B gaps as designed pressure. This is a zone based simulated pressure call meant to disguise a four man rush while still generating quick interior pocket disruption, and it is not tied to a specific offensive route progression since it is a defensive play.
Defensive Reads
Watch for offenses attacking the underneath zone voids with shallow crossers or drag routes, since the four man rush gives quarterbacks a quick throwing window before the interior pressure arrives. This call struggles against quick game trips concepts where the offense floods one side with three receivers, since your zone drops can get outnumbered in the flat and curl areas. Field Sim 3 is strong against play-action rollouts and shotgun spread empty looks because the deep third defenders stay disciplined even when the offensive line shows pass protection early. Post snap, key the running back release out of the backfield, since simulated pressure calls like this one are vulnerable to check down throws if your interior rushers do not get immediate penetration. If the quarterback holds the ball past two seconds, the deep zone rotation should be sunk in enough to take away any vertical shots, so this call rewards patient pass rush lanes over pure speed rush angles.
Usage Tips
Use Field Sim 3 on early downs or third and medium when you expect the offense to call a quick game or shallow drag concept, since the underneath zone drops sit right on those throwing lanes.
Pre-snap, identify if the offense is in a spread trips or bunch look, since the simulated interior pressure can get picked up cleanly by a five man protection, so save this call for balanced personnel sets.
Disguise the blitz by aligning your slot defenders and linebackers as if you are showing a two high shell before the snap, then let the coverage rotate to Cover 3 post snap to bait quarterbacks into throwing into the deep third rotation.
Pair this call with Cross Sim 2 or Nickel Sim 2 in your play calling sequence so the offense cannot key on the same pressure look every time you dial up simulated pressure.
User the closed side interior rusher if you want to spy a mobile quarterback while still letting the zone drops handle shallow crossers, since the design already has your deep defenders accounted for.
