How to beat soft zone defenses (3 and less rushers)

[TCrouch]

Yeah...especially if the guy is dropping his nose tackle into coverage as mentioned earlier. That baffles me.

If you try to throw anything 10 yards or further, you'll throw interceptions and get destroyed.

But anything inside of 10 yards should be a gimme play. Draws by either the tailback or QB right up the middle, middle screen passes, drag routes, hitches...you name it. Keep the gameplan short and dink-and-dunky. Don't get greedy.

I have no problem burning off 18 play drives at 3 or 4 yards a clip if somebody wants to play deep all day. I also have no problem airing one out to Darrius Heyward-Bey if they want to load the box in a cover 1.

The cliched "take what the defense give you" has never been more appropriate.

[CreatineKasey]

Agreed, Tcrouch. I think you are just on the money with these answers. Really, it shouldn't be that much of a dilemma considering the counter is so low risk. It should be fairly easy to nickel and dime the guy without much skill involved. Good stuff, you just gave me some great tools and ideas to eliminate that defense alone from stopping my offense.

[TCrouch]

Good to hear.

Best of luck, man!

[mbmonk]

If you have the 'Bunch' formation it's great for short routes that overload zones.

[helix139]

Mills and Drive are great concepts to beat a cover 4. Mills is basically trips or twins to one side with a curl/flat read by the two inside slots or inside slot/RB and a post over the top by the outside receiver. You read it high to low. If the safety tries to jump the curl, throw the post. If the safety drops deep and cuts off the post, read the OLB for the curl/flat read and throw away from him. I'm not sure what the play is, but you should be able to hot-route to it with an existing play. You might also want to hot-route a backside receivers to double slants in case the player takes one of the inside backers to try to control the playside flat.

Drive I know is in there in several playbooks. You're basically high/low-ing the inside linebackers against a cover 4.

Digs and square-ins are also great against cover 4 if you throw on the receiver's break.

[CreatineKasey]

Quote: Originally Posted by helix139

Mills and Drive are great concepts to beat a cover 4. Mills is basically trips or twins to one side with a curl/flat read by the two inside slots or inside slot/RB and a post over the top by the outside receiver. You read it high to low. If the safety tries to jump the curl, throw the post. If the safety drops deep and cuts off the post, read the OLB for the curl/flat read and throw away from him. I'm not sure what the play is, but you should be able to hot-route to it with an existing play. You might also want to hot-route a backside receivers to double slants in case the player takes one of the inside backers to try to control the playside flat. Drive I know is in there in several playbooks. You're basically high/low-ing the inside linebackers against a cover 4. Digs and square-ins are also great against cover 4 if you throw on the receiver's break.

Good stuff! I recognize the post + curl/flat read. That will be another one I'm going to add to my arsenal. I want to be completely loaded with firepower against soft defenses. I'm fairly comfortable with most other defenses, but that super soft cover 4 has been just giving me trouble. Thanks for the reply!

[CreatineKasey]

Well I definitely changed my approach to reading passes altogether. I read the front 7 THEN the DB's. I used to do the opposite. If I see the soft drop I slow down and make the smart throw. If I see the rush I get it outta there quick.

All the strategies listed in here apply very well to the situation. It is finally nice to have a loaded repertoire to fire away at that soft defense against heavy talent.

[helix139]

Quote: Originally Posted by CreatineKasey

Well I definitely changed my approach to reading passes altogether. I read the front 7 THEN the DB's. I used to do the opposite. If I see the soft drop I slow down and make the smart throw. If I see the rush I get it outta there quick. All the strategies listed in here apply very well to the situation. It is finally nice to have a loaded repertoire to fire away at that soft defense against heavy talent.

Generally that's the exact opposite of how I do it. I make a preliminary read on what the coverage shell could be, whether man or zone, and think about where I will go with the ball if the safeties rotate and then where I will go if they don't. I also think about if the play and protection is sound against what I think I will see. If the play is sound, the coverage shell will determine my progression against a zone. Against man I'll pick the best matchup and route combination. I also figure out who my hot man is and who has to blitz for the play to become hot.