Playbooks

Cover 9 Show 2

Nickel·Over·Nickel 4-2-5

Cover 9 Zone Coverage

Play diagram for Cover 9 Show 2 from Nickel Over in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationNickel

SetOver

Personnel

Nickel 4-2-52 EDGE2 DT2 MIKE3 CBFSSS

In 30 playbooks

4-3 DefenseDefense 46 DefenseDefense 49ers DefenseDefense Bears DefenseDefense Bengals DefenseDefense Browns DefenseDefense Chiefs DefenseDefense Cover 2 DefenseDefense Dolphins DefenseDefense Jaguars DefenseDefense Madden DefenseDefense Raiders DefenseDefense

Breakdown

Cover 9 Show 2 is a zone coverage disguise call out of the Nickel Over set that shows a two high safety shell before rotating into a match zone shell after the snap. The diagram shows the two deep safeties reading the release of the outer receivers while the corners and slot defenders squat underneath, with the strong side flat defender bracketing the number two receiver and a deep half defender rotating over the top of the number one receiver. This is a zone beater disguise designed to bait the quarterback into throwing behind the rotation, so the primary read progression for the defense is deep half rotation first, then the underneath flat and curl zones second, and finally the middle hook zone as the last resort.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap look for both safeties aligned at depth in a true two high shell, then watch for one safety cheating toward the hash right before the snap which tips the rotation. Post-snap key the flat defender on the strong side, if he sits on the number two receiver instead of widening he is reading a bracket and will not bite on double moves. This shell beats levels concepts and shallow cross combos that attack the middle hook zone since the linebacker drop is late in the progression. Deep comeback routes and skinny posts run against the rotating deep half defender can exploit this coverage if the safety is late getting over the top. Hard play action rollouts to the flat side away from the bracket defender can pull the underneath defenders out of position and open the void behind the rotating safety.

Usage Tips

Show this play on early downs when you want to disguise a two high shell and bait the quarterback into a pre-snap coverage read that does not match the actual post-snap rotation.

Watch the outside cornerback depth at the snap, if he sinks hard into a deep third instead of staying flat footed you are getting the rotation and should key your user to the deep half defender.

Use your user controlled defender on the strong side flat zone to jump underneath crossers and quick outs since that defender is bracketing the number two receiver.

Pair this call with Cover 9 Sammie or Show SS Sim 2 in the same set so quarterbacks cannot key your safety alignment from a static pre-snap look.

Call this on third and medium or third and long situations where offenses expect man coverage or a blitz look, since the two high disguise discourages deep shot plays.