what is the best way to attack the 3-4 and cover 2 defense

[ALC]

I play with the redskins and i would like to know what is the best way to attack a blitzing 3-4 defense. what plays would help to slow down that blitz. maybe a screen or a slant or should i hot route some of my plays to try to confuse the coverage.on the run should i run slams and dive or maybe counters. so i tried the slide protection in or out or allow the blitz to disrupt my flow. i am in need of help bad. i play with the redskins playbook. if you could suggest some tips i would appreciate it. in closing also what is a good way to beat the cover 2 defense quick passes or just a steady diet of portis. i look forward to hearing from you soon. im out alc.

[sportfan88]

I play with the redskins and i would like to know what is the best way to attack a blitzing 3-4 defense. what plays would help to slow down that blitz. maybe a screen or a slant or should i hot route some of my plays to try to confuse the coverage.on the run should i run slams and dive or maybe counters. so i tried the slide protection in or out or allow the blitz to disrupt my flow. i am in need of help bad. i play with the redskins playbook. if you could suggest some tips i would appreciate it. in closing also what is a good way to beat the cover 2 defense quick passes or just a steady diet of portis. i look forward to hearing from you soon. im out alc.

If the guy is blitzing, leave a blocker or 2 in. There has to be 1 on 1 coverage somewhere. Take advantage of it. Hit the flats or another quick hitting route (quick fade, drag). Against the Cover 2, attack the Deep middle. If it doesnt have purple zones, use a corner route. Or if he is not bringing heat, wait for a flat route to head upfield.

[ChiSoxFan95]

Sportfan88 basically got it. But, in addition,

For 3-4 blitz defense, you basically want to take what they give you. First look to the flats, then the middle, then up top. If you are having trouble reading the blitz, don't be afraid to go into 4 WR to help you. This also clears up the box for the running game.

For attacking the cover 2, the corner route to the TE is open all day long as sportfan said. One thing I like to do, but be careful with this, is hit ur HB on a wheel route. Since the cover 2 gets no pressure, roll out (careful) to the side of the wheel route and w8 until ur HB passes the CB in flat zone and fire a bomb so him across the field. It's really fun to do at first, but don't get into a habit doing it.

[all_the_tea]

Sportfan88 basically got it. But, in addition,

For 3-4 blitz defense, you basically want to take what they give you. First look to the flats, then the middle, then up top. If you are having trouble reading the blitz, don't be afraid to go into 4 WR to help you. This also clears up the box for the running game.

For attacking the cover 2, the corner route to the TE is open all day long as sportfan said. One thing I like to do, but be careful with this, is hit ur HB on a wheel route. Since the cover 2 gets no pressure, roll out (careful) to the side of the wheel route and w8 until ur HB passes the CB in flat zone and fire a bomb so him across the field. It's really fun to do at first, but don't get into a habit doing it.

That's gotta be the most common and most unstoppable way of moving the ball (as long as there is room to roll out and no purple zone coverage of course). I love when I see that someone is covering the flats with no one behind him and my running back is running a wheel.

[Willy31fs]

Yeah but its not too difficult to take control of the CB in the cover 2 and making the user pick. Be weary of that. Guys try to run that on me and ill just swat it down or user pick them.

[aLgCaRRoTToP]

3-4 shouldnt generate that much pressure, but if it does look to hit ur rbs in the flats or ur te over the middle

[BOOBOOSD]

Cover2 sucks if there ain't no heat. Just do what everyone has suggested. Basically hit the deep sidelines and or middle between the safeties and right over the LBs.

[BOOBOOSD]

3-4 shouldnt generate that much pressure, but if it does look to hit ur rbs in the flats or ur te over the middle


Well with a str8 vanilla setup, it definitely won't especially if it's only a 3 man rush like most of the default 3-4 zone plays are. HOWEVER, I personally believe that the one of the best ways to play a solid Cover2 zone is out of the 3-4, but modified to have a good dose of blitzing (atleast 2 blitzing OLBs). You can generate some nice heat and still have solid coverage if you intervene manually. For example, take the 3-4-Normal Cover2, playmaker all the LBs to blitz and spread them out, pinch the D-line and loop it and also freeze the defense. Fanning out the safeties's zones or backing up the secondary is all up to you. Now manually take control of one of the ILBs (I prefer the RILB in pass coverage or the ILB responsible for backside run support) and if you want playmaker the opposite ILB that your not controlling to a purple zone or hook zone or just allow him to blitz for added pressure. What I usually do is move those ILBs up in the A-Gaps between the NT and DEs or I atleast move the one that I'm not controlling, that way you can attack the run up the gut. It actually ain't a bad scheme at all and if you get good manual drops with the ILBs, you can really take control of the middle. The heat from the OLBs can be fierce especially if their speed demons since they come from a wider angle and even if you only rush just 5 with the 2blitzing OLBs and 3Downlinemen, those OLBs will force you to pass from within the pocket and you might step right into those big D-linemen. It can pretty much force your opponent to use extra protection, which then can eliminate the TE(s) or backs as a reciever and then you can mix in your Cover3/4's/Vanilla's/F@G's and or double teams against the WRs to protect against the possible deepball if they max protect, you might then get a coverage sack or INT if he forces a pass into heavy coverage. I played some dude the other day that ran this 3-4 blitz Cover2 scheme and it was quite annoying to be honest, the heat was intense and the coverage was actually pretty good, he was also shooting the gaps nicely to stop the run. Screens can work against it but since the heat can be so intense you can take sacks if you take too long and since the OLBs come from a wider angle they can be in position to make a play and also if you control an ILB. It's actually a pretty fun zone blitz scheme to run, I mix it up with similiar Cover3 zone blitzes as well. I actually run a lot more Cover3 like that, but I get my non deep zone safety more involved.

[paperlion]

I hate playing against 3-4 blitzing schemes. I'm in a point in my franchise that thats almost the only thing the cpu runs on me. I notice there are a lot of one on one situations that open up deep and my TE or #2 WR win a lot of matchups, but the i don't have much time to make a decision and I get tricked sometimes when they fall back in coverage instead, but I notice usually when that happens the flats open up.

Another difficult thing about this scheme is when it starts killing my run game. When my running game isn't working I start struggling to get first downs.

[Eternalty]

jeez dude if they are using cover 2 just hit up that long ball, just play action pass and you got ur wr vs the safety

[scarface6868]

Why on earth is people saying hit the flats??? NO NO NO... the whole point of a Cover 2 is to stop the deep ball and keep everything infront of you. The weakness of a cover 2 is the run. Run, Run, Run, Run, and Run on a cover 2...every play until he switches out of it. Do NOT throw in the flats on a cover 2 and be patient.

As far as the 3-4 goes... RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN...its really easy to run on a 3-4... FB dives are very effective. If your runs arent working on a 3-4...dont use turbo...wait for your blocks to get set up.

If theres just to much pressure with the 3-4 and he constantly blitzes...i say you have 2 easy options.

1st one being the screen...nothing stops a defense from blitzing more than a screen...very very effective.

2nd one being.. get your number 1 WR in the slot position with 1 on 1 coverage with most likely a saftey.

[k-love]

Deep Corner Post Routes

[DawkinsAllDay]

1 receivcer run a go and the other run a post Safety goes with the farthest receiver leaving the post open........

[blueblood]

Run up the middle on the 3-4. If he's going to stop it then it's going to take away from his blitz. Dive after Dive homie.