I think I may be onto something

[MelloDrama]

I've been messin around with some different things. Doing things that normally people don't do.

I've been thinking to myself about how people get burned so hard in cover 3's and zone. I like to use zone but I hate the negetive effect it has when used to much as we know.

This is strickly for zone user's and it's not perfected yet.

What I have been doing is as soon as I pick my play (IE: 3-4 Trio sky in a 3-4) I push everyone back then bump my corners. So I have my saftey's the deepest and my corners are on the line. You can't beat this zone deep. If you use the push back method then manual, then playmaker corners the Q.B(or opponent) won't have time to let the WR get deep and in behind the safteys. If he does it's a swat or pick and if he holds it too long it's a sack. This works especially well with trio sky. I just started doing this against all madden Patriots and they CPU cannot score at all. I haven't tested this yet against a human but I think it will work.

If you can train yourself to push back and playmker DB's to bump on zone plays you'll really give people headaches.

This will work the best with zone's with blitzes. Or create your own blitz within the zone.

What this does is it force's people to throw into the middle of the coverage instead of nit picking against the sideline.

It's also good because it sends a message to the opponent that the deep stuff is just not there before the snap forcing him to look in other places.

Your safteys roam better when they are futher back and the react better as well.

thoughts?

[blueblood]

Your method sounds good. I'm going to have to try it and tell you how it works out for me. Hopefully it works good because I run the 3-4 with any team I chose and I always like to add more to my playcalling.

[JTMoney]

Your method sounds good. I'm going to have to try it and tell you how it works out for me. Hopefully it works good because I run the 3-4 with any team I chose and I always like to add more to my playcalling.

cosign....

[moos3p]

It works well against humans, especially if they don't mix up what they do

[sanantonio]

Thanks Mello will be trying this tonight.

[I LastWish I]

ill be trying this within the hour...
haha

[daone]

good Idea but..

wr hitches and deep outs...will be a problem...

I like cover 4's with this setup...with the cbs in man

[moos3p]

I use cover 4 that way alot, with the safetys spread and a LB or fast DE in a deep zone

[Ski Mask]

I've been doing this with the Trio sky except I wasn't manually bumping my CB's. I was just backing everyone up. it was pretty effective altough the flats were generally open.

Thats why i like to play as a LBer when I use this type of zone because the heat will force them to dump off to a RB or TE.

[blueblood]

Hey MelloDrama, I aint tried this against a human yet but against CPU it works pretty good. I mix it up with my defense now to add more looks. Good stuff man.

[Dazed N Confuse]

Mello great tip! I too like Moos3p use it in the cover 4. SAme way spread the safetys put the MLB in the deep zone to cover the middle of the field and then I put a DE in a hook zone. The DE on the side of the TE. I played 3 games online like this and had a total of 13 int's.

[Canz]

that sounds awesome, have you tried this with zone man x out of dime, blitzing the guy who is playing man, then bumping and droping safties back?

[MelloDrama]

Sorry guys I've been away. I'm glad your liking this. It worked for me and I find that I'm having success using this oline against live opponents.

Canz- I haven't tried it and zone man X is something that I never usually run but I might consider trying your idea. I never thought of blitzing the slot DB. That sounds like a good idea. I'll lab it later and I'll post my reactions.

Another play that seem to give people trouble is Nickle prowl zone 1 blitz.

What I do is playmaker Flat DB's off the L.O.S then the heat side which is the left side by default. Plamaker Dlineman over to left and LB's. Then I spread the LB's. Don't freeze D. Use a safety for this play. Try it against the CPU and watch the picks you get. Guard the deep ball with safety. This play is so sweet. It's give guys headaches. Mix it in with Cover 4, cover 3 variations in Prowl and get mad picks against guys that love to throw. This is a MUST LAB!. The best thing about this is there is not alot of adjustments to make. You can use it against anything except 5 wide.

Another variation of the same play is to put it in your audibles. Come out in quarters then audible to this play. (works really well against 3 and 4 wide). The heat is immense and the picks are crazy.

Try it and tell me what you think!

[coop_uca]

Mello, love ur suggestions, but have a few questions....First, on ur nickel prowl.....When u say take the dbs off the line of scrimmage, do u mean just playmakering them back so they have a cushion on receiver....If so, it seems this is totally vulnerable to the quick pass that everyone is seemingly using.....a reply would be much appreciated..Thanks man

[BOOBOOSD]

Yup, I like to enhance my zones from the 3-4/4-3 especially in the same exact manner also. Back up safeties, then individually play BNR with the CBs. You can still get beat deep if your not controlling the deep ball manually with the Deep third Safety, but that's why you gotta send pressure to help force the quicker throw. I also like to do the opposite by backing up my entire secondary including CBs, then play as a Linebacker or safety down lower in the box to help stop the quick underneath throws. I usually place 8 in the box when I do this. Gotta always bring the heat though I believe if you use zone coverage. It's a pretty fun way to play zone, then alls you really have to do is just React & Pounce and also Bait. I do like freelancing with my LBs and the safety (usually SS) not responsible for the Deep third zone. Steelers do a lot of this with Polamalu as they bring him down in the box and allow him to do his thing to help disrupt the run, blitz or help defend short to intermediate range passes, all deception. You can give big crushing hits on recievers when you wait like this for them, also jump routes for INTs and what not when you bait your opponent. Zone is hella fun, just gotta make sure you bring that pressure or atleast always show the threat of pressure to force quick and errant throws, that way the deep ball don't have time to develope.

[Doolow]

this works...used qb contain 4-3 under blitz lb...my corners are in position to pick or swat...used it on 3rd and 7...if i come up with anything else ill add it

[MelloDrama]

Mello, love ur suggestions, but have a few questions....First, on ur nickel prowl.....When u say take the dbs off the line of scrimmage, do u mean just playmakering them back so they have a cushion on receiver....If so, it seems this is totally vulnerable to the quick pass that everyone is seemingly using.....a reply would be much appreciated..Thanks man

Yea it doesn't work if your opponent is quick passing. If he's not it will work. It's a play that you mix in... not a play to live and die by;)

And yea I mean coverage audible each of them (DB's back and shift LB's to the left. Don't play your whole D back just the outside corners.

Even with cover 3 in the nickle prowl all you do it is whatever side the TE is not on. playmaker LB's on the opposite side of the TE to blitz. So the LB thats playing the falts by default tell him to blitz with playmaker then LB shift to that side. Sometimes if it's 3 and LOOOOOOONG you can come out in cover 3 nickle prowl and tell all your LB's to blitz. Major pressure and lot's of zone over the top equals picks.

Be creative with it.;)

[FSUfan]

I was wondering mello, would it be the same if you pressed the corners and manually pulled back the safeties? Would that work with the trio?

[MelloDrama]

I was wondering mello, would it be the same if you pressed the corners and manually pulled back the safeties? Would that work with the trio?

Thats one of the best plays to run this style of defense. Try it with all zones to see what works best. I really like 3-4 solid trio.

Pinch LB's
loop Dline

Alot of the times the LB with squeeze right threw the Oline with this set up

What I like to do with my secondary is push everyone back right away then coverage audible each corner to bump.

[gtmlk55]

what is the best team to run these defenses with? what would be the playbook to use?

[MelloDrama]

Any team and any D can run it. It works well for zone coverages

[MelloDrama]

Another scheme I stumbled across while labbing


It's 4-3 under 2 man under.

All you do is BnR and play safety over top. LB playmaker the LB on the LOS to blitz. pinch the ends. Make sure the blitzing LB is on the opposite side of the TE. If he's on the same side as the TE then spread LB's. He'll get right around the block.

It's the best way to bring constent pressure with two deep without controlling a Lineman. It gives people headaches.

Usually everyone is accounted for accept the FB. It's really only good for 1-2-3 wide. If it's 4 or more then will be receivers uncovered. ENJOY!


Try it and tell me what you think.

[Dazed N Confuse]

Another scheme I stumbled across while labbing


It's 4-3 under 2 man under.

All you do is BnR and play safety over top. LB playmaker the LB on the LOS to blitz. pinch the ends. Make sure the blitzing LB is on the opposite side of the TE. If he's on the same side as the TE then spread LB's. He'll get right around the block.

It's the best way to bring constent pressure with two deep without controlling a Lineman. It gives people headaches.

Usually everyone is accounted for accept the FB. It's really only good for 1-2-3 wide. If it's 4 or more then will be receivers uncovered. ENJOY!


Try it and tell me what you think.

What do you mean pinch the ends? Pinch the line?

[blueblood]

What do you mean pinch the ends? Pinch the line?

Ueah, I think that's what he means he just said ends. I could be wrong though.

MelloDrama I use this same play a lot. It works real well for me because I play as the Chargers and in 4-3 Under Mr. Roids is the on next to the line so he's the one coming on a blitz. I never thought ot spreading the LBs when the TE was on the side I was blitzing. That may help me a lot more but this play if killer even if you don't spread the LBs.

It's a great first play to call when the game starts.

[MelloDrama]

Ueah, I think that's what he means he just said ends. I could be wrong though.



What I mean is audible dline down so the ends pinch the tackles so the LB can come free.

This is a great play to use alot because I don't know about you guys but I struggle with opponent's who bump in man every play with 2 deep safties and have a freeney that they control or a Peppers or people who substitute Arrington in for Strahan and put Strahan for Uminoerya.It's difficult to play against

[run]

what would happen if the pass is a short pass and not a deep pass?