Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Nickel Sim 2 is a simulated pressure package out of the Over set in Nickel personnel that shows blitz looks pre-snap but drops into a Cover 2 zone shell behind it. The diagram shows two deep half safeties bracketing the field, both outside cornerbacks carrying vertical routes into their deep quarters while the slot corner and one linebacker drop underneath to wall off the flats, and the defensive line rushing four with the shown X defenders crashing downhill off the edge and through the A gap. This is a zone beater deterrent play designed to disguise pressure and bait the quarterback into thinking man or blitz is coming, so the primary read is confirming whether the offense declares hots against pressure or settles routes into the underneath zone voids created by the two deep safeties.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, confirm both safeties are aligned deep at depth on the numbers, which signals the two deep shell is live and not rotating to single high Watch the slot corner and underneath linebacker depth at the snap, since they are responsible for flat and hook zone integrity and slow crossers will sit right in their lane This look shuts down hot route throws to the flat and quick slants since the underneath zone defenders are sitting in those windows rather than blitzing through them It is vulnerable to sideline seam throws attacking the intermediate window behind the underneath zone and in front of the safeties if the quarterback recognizes the disguise fast enough Post snap, key whether the rush gets home in four, since if the offensive line picks it up clean the coverage behind it is stretched thin against high low flood concepts on either sideline Look for offenses attacking the seam between the cornerback's deep quarter and the safety's half zone, which is the classic soft spot in this two deep disguised pressure shell
Usage Tips
Show this look on early downs to condition your opponent to respect simulated pressure before you dial up a true blitz later in the series
Watch pre-snap for the quarterback sliding protection or motioning into the boundary, since that usually confirms he expects the four man rush and will throw hot
Pair Nickel Sim 2 with Cover 4 Palms or Cover 3 Sky later in the drive so opponents cannot key on your deep safety rotation from split second post snap reads
Use this on third and medium to long when quarterbacks are prone to holding the ball, since the two deep shell takes away explosive plays while the underneath defenders squeeze completion windows
User the underneath hook or curl defender manually to jump quick game throws over the middle, since the zone drop naturally sits in the primary passing lane
Call this after showing Cover 1 Hole Press or Cover 1 SS Blitz to create hesitation on whether the coverage is man or zone
