The zone blitz has been used by some of the best defenses in NFL history, but what makes it so effective?
Last week we introduced the concept of blitzing with the man coverage blitz. In a simple and quick review, the man coverage blitz puts the defense in man coverage (usually under a Cover 0 or Cover 1 shell) while one, or more, linebackers attack into the backfield.
It’s a relatively simple way to increase pressure by adding athletic pass rushers. In a successful man coverage blitz, the coverage keeps the ball in the quarterback’s hands while the additional pressure attacks the offenses’ weak points and disrupts the play.