Playbooks
Breakdown
3 Deep Blitz is a zone pressure package out of the Prevent formation's 3 Deep set that sends five rushers while dropping three deep defenders and three underneath zone defenders. The diagram shows three deep zone defenders (two corners bracketing the field with a deep middle safety) sitting back in a Cover 3 shell while the two flat defenders carry shallow zone width, and five rush lanes converge on the quarterback through the A and B gaps with contain from the edges. This is a zone blitz designed to disguise pressure while still protecting against the deep shot, and the primary read progression for the defense is quarterback drop depth first, then flat threats, then anything that leaks over the middle late.
Defensive Reads
Read the quarterback's eyes immediately after the snap, since the five man rush should force a hot throw into a zone with numbers already there. Watch for offenses attacking the flats quickly with quick outs or screens, since those flat zone defenders are stretched thin with limited underneath help. Key on trips or bunch formations pre-snap, this play struggles against three verticals stacked to one side since only one deep defender can rotate over. Post-snap, track the deep middle defender's depth, if he bites on play-action or a shallow crosser the deep middle gets exposed to a seam shot. Look for empty backfield sets pre-snap, since max protection or six man protection schemes can neutralize the extra rusher and let route combos develop against a thin zone shell.
Usage Tips
Call this out of Prevent personnel late in the half or when protecting a lead, since the deep three-zone shell caps explosive plays while the extra rusher forces quicker decisions from the quarterback.
Check the offensive formation pre-snap for empty sets or trips, since the underdefended flat zones can get isolated against three-receiver bunches.
User the middle linebacker on the blitz timing so you can spy a mobile quarterback if the initial rush lanes get picked up cleanly.
Pair this with Cover 3 from the same set on early downs to keep the same deep shell look, then bring 3 Deep Blitz on passing downs to disguise the extra rusher without changing your shell.
Use this on third and long or two minute situations where the offense is forced to hold the ball, since the pressure gets home before deep routes can develop.
