11-man 3-4 defense playbook
DESCRIPTION
A simple 3-4 Defense with limitless possibilites.TRANSCRIPT
Defense
DEFENSIVE POSITIONS DL: Defensive Linemen
NT: Nose Tackle (Inside Defensive Linemen)DE: Defensive Ends (Outside Defensive Linemen)
LB: Linebackers
SLB (Sam): Strong-side Outside LinebackerMLB (Mike): Strong-side Inside LinebackerBLB (Buck): Weak-side Inside LinebackerWLB (Will): Weak-side Outside Linebacker
DB: Defensive Backs
CB: CornerbackN: Nickelback (Extra Cornerback in Nickel Formation)D: Dimeback (Extra Cornerback in Dime Formation)S: SafetyFS: Free SafetySS: Strong Safety
FORMATIONS
Solid (3-4): 3 Defensive Linemen (DL), 4 Linebackers (LB) (OLB's on the line), 2 Cornerbacks (CB), 2 Safeties (S)
Straight (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB, 2 CB, 2 S Over (3-4 Over): 3 DL (overloading strong side), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2S Under (3-4 Under): 3 DL (overloading weak side), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2S Strong (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB (Sam on the line), 2 CB, 2S Weak (3-4): 3 DL, 4 LB (Will on the line), 2 CB, 2 S Pinch (3-4): 3 DL (DE's line up over C gap), 4 LB, 2CB, 2S Spread (3-4): 3 DL (DE's line up over D gap), 4 LB, 2 CB, 2 S
X
Solid Straight
Over Under
Y Z
X
Y Z
X
Y Z
X
Y Z
X X
X X
FORMATIONS
NT head up on C, DE's in Bgaps, OLB's on the line, C gap shade on TE's, MLB's off the line, A gap shade on the G's.
NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on the G's.
NT head up on strong side G, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, Mike head up on C, Buck head up on weak side G.
NT head up on weak side G, DE's head up on T's, OLB's off the line head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, Mike head up on strong side G, Buck head up on C..
X
Strong Weak
Pinch Spread
Y Z
X
Y Z
X
Y Z
X
Y Z
X X
X X
FORMATIONS
NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's head up on TE's, Will off the line, Sam on the line. MLB's off the line, head up on G's.
NT head up on C, DE's head up on T's, OLB's head up on TE's, Will on the line, Sam off the line, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.
NT head up on C, DE's over B gaps, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.
NT head up on C, DE's over C gaps, OLB's off the line, head up on TE's, MLB's off the line, head up on G's.
Defensive Line
DL Calls (all calls shown from straight formation on following pages):
Key: Read & React
Blast: Shoot Gaps
Jam: Fill Inside Gaps
Stretch: Fill Outside Gaps
Crash Right: Shoot Gaps to the Right
Crash Left: Shoot Gaps to the Left
Inside Twist: DE's fill B gaps, ILB's fill C gaps
Outside Twist: DE's fill C gaps, OLB's fill B gaps
Switch Strong: NT and strong-side DE cross
Switch Weak: NT and weak-side DE cross
Gaps & Offensive Line Positions
X Gaps: D C B A A B C D
TE T G C G T TE
Blast
X
Y Z
X
Key
X
Y Z
X
Stretch
X
Y Z
X
Jam
X
Y Z
X
DL CALLS
DL's make contact with OL, read the play and react.
DL's bull rush OL, read and react while rushing.
DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot inside gaps.
DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot outside gaps.
Crash Left
X
Y Z
X
Crash Right
X
Y Z
X
Outside Twist
X
Y Z
X
Inside Twist
X
Y Z
X
DL CALLS
DL's shoot gaps to the right. DL's shoot gaps to the left.
Combination DL movement & Blitz. DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot inside gaps, MLB's shoot behind DE's to outside gaps.
Combination DL movement & Blitz. DT bull rush on C, DE's shoot outside gaps, OLB's, shoot behind DE's to inside gaps.
Switch Weak
X
Y Z
X
Switch Strong
X
Y Z
X
DL CALLS
Weakside DE bull rush T, NT moves laterally to strongside B gap, strongside DE pulls behind NT to A gap.
Strongside DE bull rush T, NT moves laterally to weakside B gap, weakside DE pulls behind NT to A gap.
Blitzes
Sam Blitz: SLB blitzes
Mike Blitz : MLB blitzes
Buck Blitz : BLB blitzes
Will Blitz: WLB blitzes
Sam-Mike Blitz: SLB and MLB blitz
Sam-Buck Blitz: SLB and BLB blitz
Sam-Will Blitz: SLB and WLB blitz
Mike-Buck Blitz: BLB and MLB blitz
Mike-Will Blitz: BLB and SLB blitz
Buck-Will Blitz: MLB and WLB blitz
Strong Corner Blitz: strong-side corner blitzes
Weak Corner Blitz: weak-side corner blitzes
Strong Blitz: SS blitzes
Free Blitz: FS blitzes
Overload Strong Blitz: SS and SLB blitz
Overload Weak Blitz: FS and WLB blitz
Triple Strong Blitz: SS, SLB, and MLB blitz
Triple Weak Blitz: FS, WLB, and BLB blitz
Deep Blitz: FS and SS blitz
Max Blitz: All LB's blitz
Inside Twist: See DL Calls
Outside Twist: See DL Calls
Mike BlitzSam Blitz
Will BlitzBuck Blitz
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
BLITZES
Sam blitzes through C or D gap. Mike blitzes through A or B gap.
Buck blitzes through a or B gap. Will blitzes through C or D gap.
Sam-Buck BlitzSam-Mike Blitz
Mike-Buck BlitzSam-Will Blitz
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
BLITZES
Sam blitzes C or D gap, Mike blitzes A or B gap.
Sam blitzes C or D gap, Buck blitzes A or B gap.
Sam and Will blitz C or D gap on their side.
Mike and Buck blitz A or B gap on their side.
Buck-Will BlitzMike-Will Blitz
Weak Corner BlitzStrong Corner Blitz
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
BLITZES
Mike blitzes A or B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.
Buck blitzes A or B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.
Strongside CB blitzes outside. Weakside CB blitzes outside.
Free BlitzStrong Blitz
Overload Weak BlitzOverload Strong Blitz
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
BLITZES
SS blitzes through strongside A or B gap.
FS blitzes through weakside A or B gap.
SS blitzes through A or B gap, Sam blitzes through C or D gap.
FS blitzes through A or B gap, Will blitzes through C or D gap.
Triple Weak BlitzTriple Strong Blitz
Max BlitzDeep Blitz
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
BLITZES
Mike blitzes A gap, SS blitzes B gap, Sam blitzes C or D gap.
Buck blitzes A gap, FS blitzes B gap, Will blitzes C or D gap.
SS and FS blitz A or B gaps on their side.
MLB's blitz A or B gaps on their side, OLB's blitz C or D gaps on their side.
Coverages:
Man-to-Man: Default coverage. Each man in pass defense covers one man
on offense. See following pages for rules and variations.
Combo X (FS Double Teams X)
Combo Z (FS D-T Z)
Combo S (FS D-T S)
Combo Double (FS/SS D-T X/Z)
Cover 2 Zone (2 Deep, 5 Short)
Cover 2 Man (2 Deep, Man)
Cover 3 Strong (Rotate S/S)
Cover 3 Weak (Rotate W/S)
Cover 3 Man (3 Deep, Man)
Cover 4 (4 Deep, 3 Short)
Prevent (2 Very Deep, 4 Deep)
With Sam Blitz
1 2 3 2 1
1 2 3 2 1
Reverse for Will Blitz. Buck will take #2 on weak side.
Basic
1 2 2 3 1
1 2 3 2 1
With SS Blitz
1 2 3 2 1
1 2 3 2 1
With Sam-Mike Blitz
1 2 3 2 1
1 2 3 2 1
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz. Mikewill take #2 on weak side.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
MANCOVERAGE
With OverloadStrong Blitz
1 2 3 2 1
1 2 3 2 1
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz. Buck will take #2 on weak side.
With StrongCorner Blitz
1 2 3 1 2
1 2 3 2 1
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz. FS will take #2 on weak side.
With Max Blitz
1 2/3 2 1
1 2 3 2 1
With TripleStrong Blitz
1 2 2 3 1
1 2 3 2 1
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz. FS will take #2 on weak side.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
MANCOVERAGE
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER2 MAN
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER2 MAN
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER2 ZONE
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER2 ZONE
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 STRONG
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 STRONG
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 WEAK
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 WEAK
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 MAN
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER3 MAN
With Sam Blitz
Reverse for Will Blitz.
Basic
With SS BlitzWith Sam-Mike Blitz
Reverse for Buck-Will Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER4
With OverloadStrong Blitz
Reverse for Overload Weak Blitz.
With StrongCorner Blitz
Reverse for Weak Corner Blitz.
With Max BlitzWith TripleStrong Blitz
Reverse for Triple Weak Blitz.
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
X
Y Z
X
COVER4
X
Y Z
X
PREVENT