Scheme Session

In the previous installments of Scheme Session, we talked basic zone coverages in the NFL (Tampa 2 and Cover 4). Building off of those two, this Sunday I thought it would be appropriate to talk some man-to-man schemes, especially one that you will see over and over again in tonight’s prime time match up between the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts. I am talking about Under 10, or weak side man free.

Let’s examine a little closer.

When you hear of man free, you expect to see the strong safety drop down from a disguised look and play man-to-man on the TE, or #2 strong, while the free safety plays the deep middle of the field– overlapping the entire field on any ball thrown deep. Both the Bears and the Colts (Tampa 2 teams), prefer to use Cover 10, out of an under front, to combat both the run and the pass with their playmakers at free safety: Bob Sanders in Indy and Mike Brown in Chicago.

Check out this diagram of Under Cover 10 verses a basic pro set. As you can see, the free safety (Sanders or Brown) drop down at the snap (most likely out of a Tampa 2 disguise) and play #2 weak in man coverage, while the strong safety rolls to the deep middle of the field. In this example, the free safety will man the tailback, and take him in coverage if he releases out of the backfield. If #2 weak stays in to block, then the free safety can do one of two things: zone up and play the middle hook like a robber coverage, or pressure rush (rush towards your man in route to the quarterback). Most of the time the free safety will try to drop into the middle hook and steal any type of crossing route or hook route by #2 to the strong side (the TE in this diagram).

If #2 weak is removed from the formation (aligned outside of the tackle box) as seen in this diagram, the free safety has no choice but to come out of his disguise and align over #2 in man coverage. What is unique about both Indy and Chicago in this instance, is that they can call Under 10 against teams that use three wide receiver sets, where the free safety mans up the slot receiver to the weak side instead of bringing in an extra defensive back.

So, we have the coverage aspect down, however, this defense is designed to stop the run against the pro set we saw in diagram #1. If we go back to that diagram, the free safety will mirror any action to his side, therefore taking on the block of #2 to his side, forcing the run back to the Mike and the Will backers. Versus run action to the strong side, the free safety is responsible for the weak side “A” gap (because it is an under front), playing the cutback, or shooting the gap and making a tackle for a loss– something that both Sanders and Brown can do. This is a key aspect to Under 10. As a gap control defense all of the holes are accounted for by a defender– but they still have to beat the man across from them to establish this gap control.

I played this defense in Buffalo, and way back during the beginning of my career in St. Louis under Lovie Smith. It is the Tampa 2 response to the ground game. If Chicago or Indy cannot control the run with their seven-man front out of the Tampa 2 look, expect them to use Under 10 tonight to bring an extra man into the box, forcing the offense to count for eight players.

On a lighter note, enjoy the games today, enjoy your family, and enjoy your friends with a couple of cold ones. NFL football is back my friends– let’s get into it.