The Cover 2 Defense

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by CW McGraw

If Cover 2 is a team's base defense and is the coverage scheme they're employing the majority of the time, are defensive plays even being called? If they are, what adds the element of surprise to the defense? Is the D-line just adding stunts or twists every so often to confuse the offense? This seems so simple that a defensive coordinator doesn't even seem necessary.

There are several different flavors of the cover 2. Not to mention when a team is a "cover 2" team they don't play that coverage exclusively, it's basically their base defense.

The thing about this coverage is it keeps everything in front of you. If you can get some pressure with 4 rushers it makes teams have to nickel and dime you to score. You're trying not to give up the big play.

To make the cover 2 work, you need a few things. You need to get pressure on the QB with 4 rushers. You need a MLB who can get a lot of depth in a short period of time, Lofa Tatupu and Urlacher are about as good as you get at this. You need CB's who are excellent in run support and can fulfill their roles in run force responsibilities, it's also nice if they are physical with WR's and get get a good jam at the LOS. And most importantly you need defenders who play with discipline, who know their role, and fly to the football.

[Vince]

I hate Cover 2.

Best way to beat it is in the seam between the Outside Backers and the Corner. Tight Ends tend to do well agaisnt it...

Why i don't like it is because i hate defenses that don't bltz. I feel sometimes that it's too passive of a defense.

The Colts front four isn't the Bucs. Particularly vs the Chargers in that playoff game, they just kept getting dinked and dunked during the last few possessions of the game. Even when the Pats used to own Indy in the playoffs, when they needed stops, they couldn't get them if they didn't get pressure with 4. That's how Brady would always destroy them late in games...

So yeah, not a big fan of cover two...

Everyone loves 3-4 D's, but the Colts could never run that, unless Freeney and Mathis become OLB's.

[Exonerated]

I hope the colts move away from the cover 2.

We need to blitz. Freeney and Mathis are all good and stuff. But they are regularly held.

If we can get someone bursting through the gap, we'd create more pressure.

In playoff games, our de's seemed to get overwhelmed because of the huge work load that we tend to fitzzle at the end of the 4th.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Exonerated

I hope the colts move away from the cover 2. We need to blitz. Freeney and Mathis are all good and stuff. But they are regularly held. If we can get someone bursting through the gap, we'd create more pressure. In playoff games, our de's seemed to get overwhelmed because of the huge work load that we tend to fitzzle at the end of the 4th.

Unfortunately the Colts don't have the CB's nor the safeties to lock up a bunch of players in man coverage if they go to a blitzing scheme.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vince

I hate Cover 2. Best way to beat it is in the seam between the Outside Backers and the Corner. Tight Ends tend to do well agaisnt it... Why i don't like it is because i hate defenses that don't bltz. I feel sometimes that it's too passive of a defense. The Colts front four isn't the Bucs. Particularly vs the Chargers in that playoff game, they just kept getting dinked and dunked during the last few possessions of the game. Even when the Pats used to own Indy in the playoffs, when they needed stops, they couldn't get them if they didn't get pressure with 4. That's how Brady would always destroy them late in games... So yeah, not a big fan of cover two... Everyone loves 3-4 D's, but the Colts could never run that, unless Freeney and Mathis become OLB's.

Neither Freeney nor Mathis have the skills to play in space to be 3-4 rush backers. If the Colts want to go 3-4, they would have to replace almost every defensive player they have.

[feeq14]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

Neither Freeney nor Mathis have the skills to play in space to be 3-4 rush backers. If the Colts want to go 3-4, they would have to replace almost every defensive player they have.

True. Freeny is what 6-1 and very undersized. It would never work. Their corners dont have man coverage skills. Dungy never really built the team into an effective cover 2 scheme team. The best Cover 2 team the last few year was teh bears but their age and lack of pass rush has really shown this year. But if people remember when tommie harris was healthy he was the perfect clone of warren sapp. Urlacher used to play safety in college and consistently helped lock down deep middle routes. All the players played disciplined and our front four pass rush cause a ton of turnovers.

The cover 2 was a defense catered to stoping west coast offenses, but with vertical passing and spread making a comback in the league you saw the Bears, colts, and Bucs getting gashed all year. And dont get started on the talent free lions.

[ProfessaPackMan]

The Vikings also run the Cover 2 and other than MAYBE the Bucs, I don't think there is a team that runs it better than the Vikings.

[callmetaternuts]

The Cover 2 can be a great defense, or an awful defense. It depends on how the offense attacks it and if everyone stays disciplined.

As a lifelong Bucs fan, there are years where our defense looks spectacular (disciplined, the right players who fit the mold starting) and then there are years where we dont have the personnel. Since we lost Simeon, Sapp and Booger, our defense hasnt been as good becuase we cant get pressure with the front four, which is the #1 priority of the cover 2