Tips for beating Cover 3?

[thekodinator]

I've got a big game tonight against one of my friends in our Online Franchise... 9-0 Packers (me) vs 7-2 49ers (my friend).

His defense is based around the cover 3 defense, where he'll pinch his d-line down (and show blitz about 50% of the time as well) to deter me from running, and then he just sits back in his cover 3 zone to guard against the big play. he's told me that his #1 goal when playing me is to not give up the big play. I seem to struggle against his defense like this. Any tips?


While I'm at it, I might as well ask how to stop his offense. He likes to run a lot of no-huddle out of the shotgun and his offense is based around using hot routes to get vernon davis and frank gore to run outs and crossing routes. it's tough for me to stop (especially gore and davis)... any tips there too?

thanks for any and all help.

[Jak Perez]

Hit the fade up the sideline opposite the rotation of the deep zones. You may need to user catch a little with inaccurate QB's but trust me the big play is there. Your guy will only need to break one guy for a TD. If he takes a guy out of the flats to guard the buzz zone, check down for a 1st to your HB all day.

[Jak Perez]

I forgot to mention that corner routes work well also. Typically there is a wider window to hit the receiver, so it's an easier pass than the fade, but it also has less big play potential because the receiver's momentum usually carries him out of bounds after the catch.

[CreatineKasey]

Post/wheel

Hitch/flat

Drive concept - 10 yard in with a drag underneath it

Smash - streak-corner-hitch(or in). Hit the streak if it's there.

Post over the middle is open a lot.. especially with a combination route.

Slants... especially parallel slants.. deeper one pushes back coverage

HB/WR screens

Deep outs

A play with 2 streaks on the same side = often the seams will be open AKA your slot WR on a streak

.......................

That's what comes to mind. There's a lot of stuff.

[Madwolf]

In 3 wides send your TE on a streak route, he'll always end up open around mid-field.

Hot route one of your WRs on a streak near the sidelines by selecting one of your exterior WRs and pressing up on the right thumb stick. The computer defenders vs humans only guard what's in there colored circle, and unless your opponent play-makered his DBs to guard the edges it's an easy 6 points if you have the time.

[Madwolf]

Also, if he presses your WRs and you have a tall WR you can go over the top on him 9/10. The game is basically programmed so people under 6'0" have a much more difficult time in catching passes on verticles over the top. So guys like Marcus Colston are unstoppable at times despite being slow. Guys like Steve Smith on the other hand can't stretch the field on streak routes with their speed. It's quite sad actually.

[circasurvive]

All zones are weak against screens. In fact if you key on them running zones all game and make pre snap reads you can screen all game. Cover 3 is worthless against corners, deep posts, and clown routes. The cover three will also struggle against fades but that will require a strong armed QB and quick receivers. Attempt delay routes. The zone defenders will leave their zone to help other areas and then the delay route will be open for a short gain.

It sounds like your friend sucks because hes worried about giving up the big play yet he shows blitz, announces hes a cover 3 user, and lacks any knowledge or skill to mix his play calling. Try finding some formation with 3 receivers to one side of the ball and flood his zones. Youll notices hitting short routes wide open that you can break for 20+ yards. I suggest running the screen though if he refuses to man you up. Pats playbook is what I would use to abuse him. I would stick to the slot screens and deep posts.

[jvaccaro]

Offense:
HB & WR screen passes
short crossing routes over the middle (with accurate QB)
overload formations attacking short/mid/deep on one side of the field

on D:
mix man and zone plays. Manually Blitz a CB, then have the other side's DE drop into a hook zone or QB spy. Check your CBs ratings to see if they're better at man or zone and favor that type of playcalling. Also, if they are good at the press, use it, but be careful of motion.