Playbooks

Cover 3 Mable

Quarter·1-3-7·Big Quarter 1-3-7

Quick Reference

FormationQuarter

In 1 playbook

3-4 DefenseDefense

Breakdown

Cover 3 Mable is a base zone defense out of the Quarter 1-3-7 set built to defend against vertical passing attacks with a heavy dime personnel package. The play drops three deep defenders into thirds of the field while underneath defenders play a mix of hook and curl zones, giving you numbers against four and five wide receiver sets. As a zone coverage call, it is designed to beat man beater route combos like slants and drags by keeping eyes in the backfield, and your primary read progression starts with the deep middle third safety, then works to the flat defenders to see if the offense is attacking the seams or the boundary.

Defensive Reads

Watch for trips or bunch formations that stress the flat defenders, since Cover 3 Mable leaves natural leverage issues against three receiver stacks to one side. Key the tight end or slot receiver on drag and cross routes since these are the first threats to the underneath hook zones in this coverage. If the offense shows an empty backfield, expect hitches and quick game concepts designed to exploit the cushion given by the deep thirds. Post snap, watch your lurk defender for any delayed crosser or dig route sitting in the middle voids between the underneath zones and the deep thirds. This shell gets beaten by well timed seam routes against the deep middle defender, so make sure your deepest defender does not bite on double moves or play action fakes near the line of scrimmage.

Usage Tips

Call this on early downs or third and medium when you expect a balanced run pass look, since the extra defensive back helps against both without sacrificing too much box presence.

Check the offensive formation pre-snap and if you see stacked or bunch receivers to one side, user the deep third defender on that side since Cover 3 Mable can be vulnerable to quick out and comeback combinations against off corners.

Use flat zone hot routes to widen or tighten the underneath defenders if you anticipate flood concepts or smash routes attacking one side of the field.

Pair this call with Cover 3 Spy or Cover 2 Spy in your play calling sequence to disguise your third down pass rush intentions while keeping the same shell look pre-snap.

Against mobile quarterbacks, sub this in after showing Man Up 3 Deep looks earlier in the game so the offense has to respect both man and zone shells from the same personnel group.

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