BringBackFergy Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Can someone give me a nice, succinct explanation? I get confused with some of these schemes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsBytheBay Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Two players with deep halves. Everyone else in zones underneath. Cover three is three players with deep thirds, and quarters is four deep players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBD Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Can someone give me a nice, succinct explanation? I get confused with some of these schemes. 2 deep safeties is as succinct as it gets. There are variations zone and man. Matt Bowen on cover 2 zone: http://www.csnchicago.com/sportsnetChicago/search/v/50669043/bowen-on-bears-cover-2-defense.htm Edited October 30, 2012 by Carey Bender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Two deep safeties are each responsible for zone coverage (deep half of the field). Linebackers responsible for hook to curl zone coverage in middle of the field Corners are usually in jam technique and have flat zone coverage 0-10 yards Weakness in pass coverage of a 2 deep zone is typically the seam or in the hole (15 yards) over the top of the corner and beneath the half safety http://www.google.com/imgres?q=cover+2&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1229&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=f0DJdRczjF4sWM:&imgrefurl=http://holyschwartz.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/how-to-stop-the-vikings/&docid=V6I4i0f_21vyjM&imgurl=http://holyschwartz.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/cover2.png&w=729&h=570&ei=fUKPUOWYGOn00gGD6IHwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=313&vpy=301&dur=3108&hovh=198&hovw=254&tx=123&ty=100&sig=100348659315593332682&page=2&tbnh=140&tbnw=180&start=15&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,i:185 Edited October 30, 2012 by FluffHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks gents...I figured it had something to do with safeties but always thought the safeties played deep anyway...so does the CB let the receiver keep running (ie. Let him go) when the receiver passes the 10 yd mark?? Or does the CB stay with the receiver and the safeties have to choose between the sprinting WR and say a TE in the middle seam?? Seems the safeties have to make a quick decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks gents...I figured it had something to do with safeties but always thought the safeties played deep anyway...so does the CB let the receiver keep running (ie. Let him go) when the receiver passes the 10 yd mark?? Or does the CB stay with the receiver and the safeties have to choose between the sprinting WR and say a TE in the middle seam?? Seems the safeties have to make a quick decision. Depends on the scheme. Some teams will rely on the corner getting a jam on the WR to disrupt timing, then let him go if he gets to a certain depth. Some will have the MLB run with a TE going deep Safeties do not always have deep coverage responsibility. For example, in a generic cover 3, the strong safety has flat responsibility (0-10 yards) while corner, free safety and corner split the deep coverage into thirds http://www.google.com/imgres?q=cover+3&num=10&hl=en&biw=1229&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=uixdPTr9qjB23M:&imgrefurl=http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Inside-the-playbook-Cover-3.html&docid=V8hXkrJiteYG3M&imgurl=http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c1910342/media_center/images/static/total_access/Cover%2525203.png&w=528&h=397&ei=VEaPUJfHGcfo0gHN14C4DA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=522&vpy=44&dur=159&hovh=195&hovw=259&tx=60&ty=108&sig=100348659315593332682&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=185&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,i:143 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Can someone give me a nice, succinct explanation? I get confused with some of these schemes. Wikipedia covers the basics of the scheme, and both the advantages and drawbacks of it's use rather nicely: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cover_2 Cover 2:In traditional Cover 2 schemes the free safety (FS) and strong safety (SS) have deep coverage responsibilities, each guarding half of the field. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions all run or have run a variant of this defense called the Tampa 2. In the Tampa 2 defense, a third player (usually the middle linebacker) plays a middle zone, guarding an area closer to the line of scrimmage than the safeties but farther out from typical "underneath" pass coverages. Cover 2 can be run from any seven-man defensive front such as the 3-4 and the 4-3 defenses. Various kinds of "underneath" coverages played by cornerbacks and linebackers may also be implemented. For example, "Cover 2 Man" means the two safeties have deep coverage responsibility while the cornerbacks and linebackers follow their offensive assignment in one-on-one coverage. The San Diego Chargers inherited a base Cover 2 Man 3-4 from former coach Wade Phillips. Cover 2 can also be paired with underneath zone schemes: "Cover 2 Zone" refers to two safeties with deep coverage responsibility, but now the cornerbacks and linebackers drop into specific coverage zones where they defend passes only in their assigned area. In cover 2 the cornerbacks are considered to be "hard" corners, meaning that they have increased run stopping responsibilities and generally defend against shorter passes, although if two receivers run a deep route on a certain side of the field, that side's corner has deep coverage responsibility as well. It also relies heavily on the "Mike" (Middle) linebacker's ability to quickly drop deep downfield into pass coverage when he reads a pass. Advantages: The advantage of cover 2 is that it provides great versatility to the defense as the corners can play run, short pass, and deep pass with the confidence that they have support from two deep safeties. Disadvantages: The main weakness of the Cover 2 shell occurs in the middle of the field between the safeties. At the snap of the ball, many times the safeties will move toward the sidelines in order to cover any long passes to quick wide receivers. This movement creates a natural hole between the safeties that can be attacked. By sending a receiver (usually a tight end) into the hole, the offense forces the safety to make a decision: play the vulnerable hole in the middle of the field or help out on the wide receiver. The quarterback reads the safety's decision and decides on the best matchup (i.e. which mismatch is better: tight end vs. safety or wide receiver vs. cornerback). Another disadvantage of Cover 2 is that it leaves only seven men in the "box" (the area near the ball at the snap) to defend against the run. In contrast Cover 1 and Cover 3 usually leave eight men in the box. A potential problem with the Cover 2 is that defensive pressure on the Quarterback must be provided nearly exclusively by the front linemen as all other defenders are involved in pass coverage. If the defensive linemen do not provide adequate pressure on the Quarterback, the offense is afforded plenty of time to create and exploit passing opportunities. Blitzing in the Cover 2 often creates greater areas of weakness in the defense than other coverages. Thus, unsuccessful blitzes can prove to be more productive for the offense than in other schemes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Take you to Tasker- great article and explanation...especially the last paragraph. Doesn't that basically outline our problem? It seems Wanny plays some form of the cover 2 and if our front four don't create enough pressure on their own, then we are susceptible to either quick throws for 5 yd gains or passes down the seam to TE? What can we do other than Cover 2?? I think Wanny is reading too much Google or Wikipedia where it says Cover 2 with blitzing is dangerous....it may create easier scoring opportunities for offenses (as opposed to not blitzing which, in our case, also creates easier scoring opportunities for offenses). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I think Wanny is reading too much Google or Wikipedia where it says Cover 2 with blitzing is dangerous....it may create easier scoring opportunities for offenses (as opposed to not blitzing which, in our case, also creates easier scoring opportunities for offenses). Bears blitz a lot and seem to get away with it. I thought when Perry left town the Tampa 2 left with him. Now it's back. What we're running now looks eerily like the old Dick Jauron defense. Except that defense bent but didn't break (all the time). Our new version of it bends AND breaks on a regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Bears blitz a lot and seem to get away with it. I thought when Perry left town the Tampa 2 left with him. Now it's back. What we're running now looks eerily like the old Dick Jauron defense. Except that defense bent but didn't break (all the time). Our new version of it bends AND breaks on a regular basis. We don't play the "Tampa 2" version of the cover two. Cover 2 has been around since the early 70s when Chuck Knoll first starting using it in Pitt and while one of his former safeties, Tony Dungy, often gets credit for inventing the "Tampa 2", there were PLENTY of times when Knoll had Jack Lambert dropping into deeper zone coverage from his MLB spot. It's a good thing we don't play that version, too. Can you imagine Sheppard trying to drop back in deeper coverage? It would be uglier than it is now. GO BILLS!!! Edited October 30, 2012 by K-9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Take you to Tasker- great article and explanation...especially the last paragraph. Doesn't that basically outline our problem? It seems Wanny plays some form of the cover 2 and if our front four don't create enough pressure on their own, then we are susceptible to either quick throws for 5 yd gains or passes down the seam to TE? What can we do other than Cover 2?? I think Wanny is reading too much Google or Wikipedia where it says Cover 2 with blitzing is dangerous....it may create easier scoring opportunities for offenses (as opposed to not blitzing which, in our case, also creates easier scoring opportunities for offenses). the phrase cover 2 by itself doesnt technically tell you a ton beyond the shell over the top. underneath it can be zone, or man - some teams blitz, some dont. most think of the old bucs "tampa 2" version when they hear cover two as it was all the rage for awhile. that is definitely predicated on getting front 4 pressure and you see undersized pass rushers on the line like freeny and mathis(hence we passed on the big guy in ngata and got the penetrator in mccargo - awesome choice that was). not good against the run but if you get a lead and can let those rushers go - bad things for the opposing offense. especially since in the Tampa 2 you have zones across the board so everyone has eyes on the qb when the wounded duck gets lobbed out of a collapsing pocket. you get smaller LBs that can play in the underneath zones (almost more in common with safeties in some ways). as far as our current scheme and what to do.... i dont know.... none of them work well when you are missing tackles, not playing great coverage, and cant get off blocks well. Edited October 30, 2012 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpan Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Can someone give me a nice, succinct explanation? I get confused with some of these schemes. Yes I could use some help too. Sincerely, Dave Wannstedt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FitzShowUsYourTitz Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Let opponents run for 200 yards and pass for 300 yards. Allow Touchdowns on first four drives of second half. Don't ever ever ever Blitz. Do not even THINK about blitzing. Blame the players. OOOOPS, this is not the Cover 2. This is the Wanny "Cover None". Go Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 There's a lot more to it than just the safeties. Saying Cover 2 really doesn't explain much except for the shell over the top. There could be a man corner on one side, with a zone play backside, incorporating LB zones or blitzes over the middle. It all depends on how the offense lines up as well. A basic Cover 2 would have some trouble against a Trips look. If Peyton Manning sees a Cover 2, I'd bet you a million dollars he's making eye contact with Stokley and he's running a corner route over the CB and under the Safety for a first down. Or, just sitting in a void between two zones and waiting for the strike for a 6 yard gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Something else to think about is that Bill Bellicheat won his Super Bowls using a cover-2 scheme. Cover-2 is his bread and butter despite his history as a 3-4 style coordinator. As another poster has stated, there are numerous coverages within that shell, or "look" if you will. Belichek ran a bend but don't break scheme that was focused on letting the opposing team's offense run time off the clock, don't give up the big plays, for every completion underneath you punish the guy with big hits and as the field shrinks you creep up on the line and jump routes out of a common cover-2 look. Obviously he sprinkled in some exotic blitzes for specific situations but most of his scheme was based on a very basic "look" to disguise small coverage adjustments as an offense would pass the 50 yard line. BB was also fortunate to have quality players all over the field to execute the scheme. Currently, even his defenses of late struggle at times against the better teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrules Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Whatever defense you elect to run, the one thing you cannot be is predictable. That is Wannstadt's defense, vanilla and totally predictable. That is why experienced QB's and offensive coordinators have easily exploited the Bill's defense. I believe it is the coaching that is the problem with our defense. I would rather see us take our chances on blitzing rather than sit back and allow us to be picked apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shouldaplayedflutie99 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I hope the OP is really wanny. Maybe he knows something about defense now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Yes I could use some help too. Sincerely, Dave Wannstedt I hope the OP is really wanny. Maybe he knows something about defense now! I may not be Wanny, but when I want real solid technical advice...I drink Dos Equis Stay thirsty my friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts