Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Over Storm Brave is a Nickel Wide blitz package that sends five rushers with the two inside linebackers stunting through the A and B gaps while the secondary rotates behind them. The diagram shows four underneath defenders bailing straight down at the snap into short zone drops, with the two interior blitzers crossing paths to confuse the offensive line's blocking assignments on identification. This is a zone blitz look designed to disguise pressure while still dropping bodies into the shallow passing lanes, so the primary read for the quarterback attacking it is the vacated area behind the crossing blitzers before the underneath defenders can settle into their drops.
Defensive Reads
Key the offensive line's protection slide before the snap, if they are sliding away from the stunt side you have a favorable one on one for your looping rusher. This beats man beater concepts that rely on quick timing routes underneath, since the crossing stunt disrupts the pocket before receivers can separate. Watch for hot route adjustments to the running back, if the offense keeps him in to chip block, your underneath defenders in short zone drops should have numbers advantage against remaining receivers. Shotgun spread and empty backfield sets can expose this blitz if the quarterback has a free access throw to the flat, so be ready to sim the blitz if you see five or six eligible receivers spread wide. Post snap, track the running back's release, if he leaks out uncovered into the vacated underneath zone, that is the first sign the stunt timing was beaten and you need to rally with pursuit angles.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs or short yardage third downs when you want to disrupt shotgun spread formations without fully committing to an all out blitz.
Watch pre-snap for offenses that leave a running back or tight end in to block, since the crossing linebacker stunt is designed to beat single blocks and confuse zone blocking rules.
Pair this with Cover 1 Robber Press or Cover 3 Sky Press earlier in a series so the crossing blitz look feels similar to your base coverage shells, keeping the quarterback guessing.
User the underneath defender closest to the stunt to spy the running back or crash down on quick screens, since the zone drops leave a small window right at the snap.
Mix in Nickel Blitz 3 or Dbl Safety Blitz in the same series to keep offenses honest against your interior stunt, forcing them to hold blocks and slow down their pre-snap protection calls.
