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Breakdown
Overload 3 Seam Show 2 is a Cover 3 overload blitz out of the Nickel 4-2-5, 3-3 Over set that disguises as a two-high shell before rotating into a three deep, four under zone shell. Pre-snap it shows two deep safeties (Show 2) but at the snap the defense sends a five man overload rush to one side while the strong side corner, slot defender and backside corner drop into deep thirds. The underneath zone defenders (the two square icons and the LB with a seam/curl drop) fill the shallow hook and curl zones, creating a true zone beater blitz meant to bait quarterbacks into thinking they have a Cover 2 shell instead of the rotating Cover 3 look.
Defensive Reads
Read the quarterback eyes immediately after the snap, since this blitz is designed to sell Cover 2 and then rotate to Cover 3, punishing any throw into what the QB thinks is a soft flat or deep half. Key the slot receiver stem off the line, if he releases vertical the seam zone defender should sink under him instead of chasing outside, taking away the seam shot before it develops. Watch for hot route sight adjustments to the overload side, since a smart user will slide protection or check to a quick out beating the extra rusher before the fifth man arrives. This shell is vulnerable to RPOs and quick game to the non-overload side, so the flat and curl defenders on the backside must react fast to any three step passing concept. Man beater route combos like slants and drags away from the blitz side can exploit the underneath zone soft spot before rotation fully sets, so trigger downhill on any crosser through the vacated hook.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or 3rd and medium when you expect the offense to attack a two-high shell with slants or curl-flat combos, since the post-snap rotation to Cover 3 will jump those routes.
Disguise the blitz by holding your presnap camera on the safeties as long as possible so the user does not see the rotation coming and get baited into thinking it is Cover 2 Man or Cover 2 Invert.
Use the seam flow from the LB to squeeze the middle of the field against teams that live in 3 verts or dagger concepts, since the seam defender is your first key against a vertical stem from the slot.
Pair this with Cover 2 Roll or Cover 2 Invert in the same play call sequence so quarterbacks cannot key your two-high shell as a tell for man coverage versus zone.
Avoid calling this against empty formations or heavy trips looks, since the overload side rush leaves you short a defender if the offense audibles to a quick game beater away from the pressure.
