Just some bullet points for what to expect:
* Base 43 but they'll play both Over (all LBs stacked behind DL) and Under (DL shifted weakside w/ SAM on LoS strongside).
* A large number of varying DL techniques. They'll be shifted all over the place, from all stacked in techs next to each other to spread out w/ a pair of 3 tech DT and wide 9 DEs.
* A HEAVY does of 335 Under. This is their base Nickel package and you'll see this on 3rd down regardless of down and distance.
* Cover 3 Zone is by far their most utilized coverage, especially on 3rd down, despite down and distance. They also play Cover 2 Man w/ a Single High Safety and MLB hunting short crossing routes in a shallow mid-zone and Cover 1 Man when they bring heat. They play a mix off Off and Press, despite their coverage.
* WAVES of pass rushers. They like to keep them fresh and keep them hunting. Although they're a 1 gap defense, they let their pass rushers go wild. They still maintain gap integrity as a defense.
* They actually blitz a fair bit on 3rd and long (yet they still play C3Z behind it). Probably more than they do on other downs.
* They feature a decent percentage of Slant and Scrape (think Schiano - DL slants weak or strong side and WLB or SLB is coming downhill off the DE's hip to fill) on early downs when the offense comes out in 21 or 12 personnel.
++++++++++++++++
This defense, conceptually, is very similar to New Orleans but (a) much more 335, (b) even more C3Z, and (c) much more pass rush talent at the top end and much more depth. Its probably somewhere between the great Seattle defenses and this New Orleans defense we just faced. They just do it MUCH better and more physically than New Orleans.
So expect a similar gameplan offensively to the one we deployed this week. Lots of Cover 3 Zone beaters and route combos that put the Hook/Seam defender and boundary deep 1/3 CB in a catch 22 while trying to manipulate the deep 1/3 S. Lots of quick PA, head around, ball out. I HOPE we don't see a lot of Outside Zone runs and Gap against this team. They will feast if we do. I'm hoping for a mix of Inside Zone and Man (combo block the DTs, maybe get 2nd level backside and ram it down their throats).
