Cover 1 Pressure vs. Reduced Split Receivers

Here the Steelers are in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE.

The Rush:

Both DE's on contain with both DT's working away from the Nickel pressure to balance the pass rush. The Nickel is through the heel line of the up field DE creating a straight line run on the QB.

The Coverage:

Cover 1

The pass concept gets the back out immediately with no pass protection responsibility. The LB is able take a direct angle and handle the RB in the flat. The pressure in the QB's face forces the ball out fast to the RB in the flat and an immediate tackle by the LB.

The pressure pattern takes advantage of two things:
1. The TE staying in protection is only there to help the OT with the DE. While the protection is technically a 6 man protection scheme is plays out like a 5 man scat protection with a double on the DE.

2. The Nickel does a good job holding the pressure pattern making it appear like no pressure threat exists from the field. The 5 man protection structure forces the OL to ID and set to the 5 most dangerous threats. With no clear Nickel threat and 2 LB's in the box the protection works with vision in the box and away from the Nickel. The OG sets the DT in the A gap leaving the B gap open for the Nickel on the run through pressure. The Nickel's speed, width, & angle on the pressure pattern make a redirect pass set by the OG from the inside A gap threat back outside to the B gap pressure very difficult. 

The coverage on the LOS receiving threats in good usage of man coverage techniques. Many offenses use compressed formations and reduced splits to attack man coverage. Crossing routes, picks, and rub concepts from reduced split spacing helps receivers beat man coverage. Defenses need technique change ups to help handle reduced splits. 

To the strong side the Corner and Safety use an in & out combination technique. As the routes distribute the Safety take the 1st inside receiver while the corner takes the 1st outside receiver. The in & out also does a good job of being on a different level from the LB. As the linebacker runs down hill on the RB in the flat there is no pick with the Safety/Corner in man.

To the weak side the LB takes the TE and the Corner takes the WR. An in & out technique makes less sense here. In & out could end up with the Corner on the TE and the LB on a WR. Instead the Corner plays outside leverage to deny out breaking routes and gets help on the WR crosser from the post Safety. As the WR goes inside the Safety nails it down and takes the route over in man. The Corner immediately opens, runs, and replaces the Safety in the post. Again good usage of levels here in alignment by the Corner and the LB to avoid being picked by routes from the TE/WR.

Really nice usage of man coverage techniques to handle reduced splits from the Steelers and Keith Butler.