Pressure Check vs. Unbalanced Jet Motion

Here is Cincinnati checking into pressure vs. an unbalanced formation with the X receiver off the ball. The Bearcats are in a 3-4 personnel.

The Rush:
Sam off the edge with the weak side DE slanting outside and the Jack in the B gap

The Coverage:
Rotated man coverage with the backside corner rotating to the post on motion to unbalanced by the X receiver. The LB manned on the TE ends up being able to play aggressively as the TE is ineligible in this formation.

Initially the defense is in a 2 high under front alignment. When the formation is ID'd as having the X WR off the ball the defense checks to the 5 man rotated Cover 1 pressure concept.

The Sam should be "blocked" by the jet motion but here the back side safety rotates over to handle the motion adding numbers to the strong side. The coverage rotation allows the Sam to build a 7 vs. 6 box advantage for the defense. The Sam is the unblocked +1 defender and bends to attack the power in the backfield. 

Back side the stunt by the DE and Jack creates a tough twist action vs. power blocking. The Center needs to block back to handle the blitzing Jack. The knock back technique by the Nose helps control the Center's block while the slanting DE creates the interior pressure lane for the Jack's run through.

Really nice pressure check plan to attack the jet sweep/power series from this unbalanced formation. Great recognition and execution from the Cincy defense and well planned pressure concept by Marcus Freeman.