Playbooks
Hot Blitz 3 is a double mug pressure package out of Nickel that shows a swapped double A gap look before the snap. This is a man pressure blitz built to bring extra defenders through the interior while dropping into a Cover 3 style shell behind it, so it functions as both a blitz and a zone beater against slower reacting protections. The primary read for the blitzer is the running back or nearest interior lineman, since the offense must identify and pick up the free rusher off the mug alignment before the quarterback can climb the pocket or get the ball out on a quick concept.
Watch the running back alignment pre-snap. If he shifts to the blitz side, expect a check release or chip block designed to slow your rushers. Key the offensive tackles at the snap. If they widen their splits, the quarterback is likely expecting outside pressure and will try to step up into the vacated middle, so keep your spy or delayed rusher disciplined. This play shuts down hot route quick game and slants that rely on the quarterback getting the ball out in under two seconds, since the interior pressure disrupts the throwing lane. Man beater route combos with deep crossers can exploit this if the offense picks up the blitz cleanly, so be ready to bail your zone defenders if you see max protect with only one or two receivers out. Look for empty backfield or spread formations, which often signal the offense is anticipating pressure and has a quick beater dialed up, meaning you may want to check to Cover 1 Games or Tampa 2 from the same set instead.
Show the double mug look pre-snap to bait the quarterback into a hurried read, then use your user controlled defender to spy the running back if the protection slides away from the blitz.
Diagnose the offensive line slide protection before the snap. If both guards and the center shift toward one side of the mug, send your delayed blitzer to the opposite A gap for a clean lane.
Pair this play with SS Sim 2 or Blitz Loop 3 in the same set to disguise your pressure packages, since all three start from a similar pre-snap picture but send different numbers of rushers.
Use Hot Blitz 3 on third and medium to third and long situations where offenses are more likely to hold blockers in for protection, giving your interior rush a numbers advantage.
Avoid calling this on obvious screen downs, since the aggressive interior blitz leaves light coverage on the perimeter that screen plays can exploit.