Understanding NFL Football: The Cover 2 Defense

If you've watched any NFL game in the last decade you almost undoubtedly heard the phrase "Cover 2 defense". However, announcers and commentators rarely take the time to explain the concept beyond a rudimentary level. From casual fans on to even serious NFL devotees, few can accurately describe the true nature of this defensive scheme, and it's descendant which is commonly used throughout the league now, The Tampa 2.

The term "Cover 2" derives from the defensive strategy of separating the deep half of the field (starting at about 15 yards from the line of scrimmage) into two zones. Each of these deep zones is played by one of the safeties. Bud Carson, defensive coach for the Steelers "Steel Curtain" teams is said to have been the originator of this scheme. The four defensive linemen rush the quarterback, while the three linebackers and two cornerbacks separate the part of the field in front of the safeties into five smaller zones. Therefore, the Cover 2 is an entirely zone defense (no man-to-man coverage) that is deployed out a basic 4-3 personnel set (4 linemen, three linebackers).

The major weakness of the base Cover 2 was the middle of the field once you got beyond 10 or 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. Tony Dungy, now a Super Bowl winner and coach of the Indianapolis Colts, adapted the Cover 2 he learned while playing for Carson. In his new Tampa 2 (he instituted the system while coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), the middle linebacker's zone of coverage would extend deep into the middle of the field, closing off that opening. In essence, this makes the system a "cover 3", as in the deep part of the field is separated into 3 separate zones. With the faster, more athletic linebackers of today's NFL this is much easier to pull off. Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears is the perfect example of the type of player that makes the Tampa 2 shine and achieve maximum success. Depending on the routes run and number of receivers used, the cornerbacks in this scheme will generally try to force the receiver toward the center of the field where more coverage awaits.