Whats the best way to beat the Tampa 2? Here is your answer

[indatrenches]

Micheal Smith of espn touched on the subject of the vaunted cover 2 last week but he didnt give an answer as to how and what you need personell wise to beat the cover 2.



The Tampa 2 was created to stop passing attacks, and or big play offenses (Greatest show on turf, west coast offenses) with small quick linebackers to drop back into coverages and quick edge rushers to make life hell for pocket quarterbacks.



My opinion to beating this scheme is to have a power running attack, a semi- mobile qb with a speedster wr on the outside, and smart tight end who has the ability to find the holes in the 2 deep zone coverages.

Look into the NFC South and the teams that play the Bucs twice a year and you see SOME OF these roles are filled.

The Saints have or had a semi mobile qb, a power running attack, and a quick recieving threat.

The Falcons have a mobile qb, a smart tight end, and a down hill running scheme

The Panthers have a semi mobile qb, a quick reciever, a power running scheme



The power running attack is negate the passrush, keep them honest sort of like a screen play would. (Portis, Betts and Rock fill this roll nicely)

The need for a semi mobile qb is incase the protection breaks down the qb can pick up some time or get rid of the ball with out giving up a sack. (Brunell)

The need for a quick speedster on the outside is get off the jams at the line of scrimage quickly. Thus allowing him to use his speed to get behind the coverage which will match up in open space with the safety. (Moss, and Patten if not for IR)

The need for a smart tight end to sit down in holes of the zone coverage or get behind in the middle of the field because the cover 2 zones greatest weakness is right down the middle of the field. (Cooley)

[goldenster95]

Slants work, too. Quick LBs may be quick, but when someone like Santana Moss gets his hands on the ball while on the run, they're no match for him.

[skinfan2k]

the deep corners, just look at the film of the pats against teh bucs, and what the pats did to indy the past few years.. bring up the linebackers by running tons of draws and screen and flats.

[scskin]

I am a coach and I can tell you how to attack the Cover 2. Corners play bump coverage for the allowable 5 yards which gives the 2 deep safties the time to cover their deep halves of the field. They also run with the receivers to a pre-determined depth. The MLB runs to the deep middle since the safties cover halves. OLB's cover the flats( if RB or TE releases ) to the vacated middle.
Flooding zones with multiple routes( we're good at that ) and pressuring the MLB( remember Betts' TD ) in the middle is good. Running three vertical routes will stretch the coverage and hopefully cause indecision on the safties. The running game will hold the MLB, causing him to reach his area late on play action. Intermediate routes are best, and of course the running game. :2cents: