When is the best time to use a cover 2 defense??

[live4slvr&blk]

Anyone know when is the best time to use Cover 2 defense??

If anyone else knows hwo to use the Cover 3 and Cover 4 defenses too, I'l greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

[mojobeast4694]

Cover 2 can be run anytime since you can use three linebackers for it and still get the same out of it because the underneath zone is broken down into 5ths, 4ths or sometimes 3rd.

The Cover 3 and 4 are used on obvious pass situations and if you're trying to defend the deep ball at the same time. Like a 3rd and 20+ might be good for a cover 4, or if you have a good sized lead at the end of the game. A cover 3 over a cover 2 would be used if a team is attacking the middle-deep of the cover 2, and the underneath LB's aren't reading the pattern and going with the receiver and staying in their zone. Then you would switch to a cover 3 to defense that and use one less person underneath.

Hope that helps.

[liebo84]

The personnel also is really important of if to run a cover-2. If you have smaller, quicker defenders a cover-2 is probably the best bet. Quick offensive linemen to shoot gaps and only have to cover 1 gap, quick linebackers good in coverage and a secondary that excels in zone.

[Gen_Man]

You need BACKERS and CORNERS who are comfortable in playing zone defense, comfortable in playing in a certain area, in space. Your line also has generate a pass rush or else the DEFENSE is screwed.

Cover 2 could be use up until you reach the redzone area. For my money the defense is subject towards giving up big plays in both the passing game and the running game... it is not a good defense to run aganist a team that likes to go downhill or attack a team downtown with TE running seam routes or WR in deep post, unless of course, you have the old TAMPA DEFENSE from the late 90s up until 2002.

[or24]

cover 2 can be man or zone. the zone is a main play of the tampa 2 defense run by teams such as tampa bay, chicago, kansas city, indy, and detroit. the defensive line requires quick players who can provide a great pass rush without blitzing. The safeties job is to keep everything in front of them. The corners are usually physical and have short area quickness but can be beat deep due to a lack of straight line speed. Without the pass rush these corners can be exposed. Many corners in this system produce a lot of interceptions because they can gamble due to having safety help all the time. Many tampa 2 defenses struggle against the run due to having smaller defensive lineman. Look at all the times tampa bay lost to the saints, even when aaron brooks was the qb. But also look how well they beat up on michael vick because of how quick the defensive line was. A power run game, i should say, is what the defense struggles against.

[phinsrgr8]

Originally Posted by or24

cover 2 can be man or zone. the zone is a main play of the tampa 2 defense run by teams such as tampa bay, chicago, kansas city, indy, and detroit. the defensive line requires quick players who can provide a great pass rush without blitzing. The safeties job is to keep everything in front of them. The corners are usually physical and have short area quickness but can be beat deep due to a lack of straight line speed. Without the pass rush these corners can be exposed. Many corners in this system produce a lot of interceptions because they can gamble due to having safety help all the time. Many tampa 2 defenses struggle against the run due to having smaller defensive lineman. Look at all the times tampa bay lost to the saints, even when aaron brooks was the qb. But also look how well they beat up on michael vick because of how quick the defensive line was. A power run game, i should say, is what the defense struggles against.

The Dolphins up until the last couple of years ran a cover 3 defense that worked really well. Bump and run that allowed press on the line and then let the pass rush fly. The Tampa defense is more of a mix playing zone alot more.

[JKJRAIDER]

Well it depends on what level you are looking at the defense for JV Highschool and lower will be different from Highschool Varsity and above. An example if you are coaching a little league team passing is not the norm it is an excellent defense along with a 44. It changes at the different levels and then you need to know your opponents. In addition if you have someone that can play a ROVER position (fast enough for DB stout enough for LB) then you are in good shape.

Actually it depends even more so on the OTHER teams tendencies you would not run cover 2 aginst a team that has a good TE or sends RB down the middle or a team that will run seam routes.

So let's just say you are playing a team that likes the short passing game ie West Coast offense then Cover 2 is excallent because your corners will be in the underneath coverage. The same can be said for the DEEP sideline routes the safties will be there to take them over the top.

COVER 3 is a zone again seem routes, crossing routes, underneath routes and west coast offense can exploit zones.

COVER 4 same as above in addition to RB out of the backfiled in the short zone.

[JKJRAIDER]

Originally Posted by or24

cover 2 can be man or zone. the zone is a main play of the tampa 2 defense run by teams such as tampa bay, chicago, kansas city, indy, and detroit. the defensive line requires quick players who can provide a great pass rush without blitzing. The safeties job is to keep everything in front of them. The corners are usually physical and have short area quickness but can be beat deep due to a lack of straight line speed. Without the pass rush these corners can be exposed. Many corners in this system produce a lot of interceptions because they can gamble due to having safety help all the time. Many tampa 2 defenses struggle against the run due to having smaller defensive lineman. Look at all the times tampa bay lost to the saints, even when aaron brooks was the qb. But also look how well they beat up on michael vick because of how quick the defensive line was. A power run game, i should say, is what the defense struggles against.

Please give me an example of one of those defenses that you mentioned above that have smaller lineman??
The Tampa 2 is more of a philosophy on the cover 2 than it is aa actual defense the key is the MIKE backer usually has to have a lot of range and will get the interceptions.

[or24]

Originally Posted by JKJRAIDER

Please give me an example of one of those defenses that you mentioned above that have smaller lineman??
The Tampa 2 is more of a philosophy on the cover 2 than it is aa actual defense the key is the MIKE backer usually has to have a lot of range and will get the interceptions.

tampa bay run defense rankings
2007: 20th
2006: 17th
2005: 6th
2004: 19th
2003: 13th
2002: 5th
2001: 12th
Not sure how far back they used the tampa 2 but im pretty sure they used it back to 2001. The 2 top 10 rankings i beleive were the only 2 years they made the playoffs. I thought their rankings would be worse. From my knowledge the cover 2 requires smaller defensive lineman that can rush the passer.

[JKJRAIDER]

Originally Posted by or24

tampa bay run defense rankings
2007: 20th
2006: 17th
2005: 6th
2004: 19th
2003: 13th
2002: 5th
2001: 12th
Not sure how far back they used the tampa 2 but im pretty sure they used it back to 2001. The 2 top 10 rankings i beleive were the only 2 years they made the playoffs. I thought their rankings would be worse. From my knowledge the cover 2 requires smaller defensive lineman that can rush the passer.

Did you look at the size of the lineman during those years SAPP and MCFARLAND are 300lbs......and ALL of last years Tampa 2 teams start BIG DT's....

[Pimpwin]

Yeah, I would think you want big interior linemen with quicker pass rushers at the ends..