The defensive buzzword in camp was “Cover 2.” But prior to the Hall of Fame game, it was impossible to know how much bite there was to the bark. It’s still just one game, and a lack of coaches film still makes it difficult to see schemes, but there is at least something of substance to go off of today. I want to focus on one area in this breakdown, the way the Pittsburgh Steelers used their MIKE linebackers in coverage.
It was a very Tampa 2 feel. The defining characteristic of the Tampa 2 as opposed to the traditional Cover 2 is the depth the middle linebacker gets.