The flat and angle routes are the two most effective ways for people to get their running backs involved in the passing game. SportsGamer has already showcased a way to guard running backs in the flats earlier this season. However, in this example we're going to take a look at how to guard against opponents who like to use angle routes out of the backfield. Take a look below as SportsGamer breaks it down.
In this example we've called the Nickel 3-3-5 2 Man Under. We like this defense because everyone is manned up, we have two deep safeties over the top, and we also have a middle linebacker that can be assigned to do anything we want him to.
The Green Bay Packers have come out in the I-Form Normal HB Middle, which is one of the most effective plays in the game. This play not only has the ability to attack the flats, but it also supplies our opponent with an angle route over the middle of the field.
We know that our opponent likes to attack the flats often with his running backs coming out of the backfield. Therefore, we call for bump n' run coverage on the remaining receivers to slow their progress up the field as much as possible.
The last two changes we've made on this play is playmakering our right defensive end to perform a curl zone over the middle of the field, and then playmakering our middle linebacker to move into the flats on the left side of the field. The defensive end adjustment must be made in order for us to contain the angle route from the running back. The middle linebacker adjustment is optional; feel free to change his role to whatever you prefer (QB spy, blitz, QB contain, use to manually cover, etc.).
As soon as Packers' quarterback Brett Favre drops back to pass our right defensive end begins dropping back off the line. Meanwhile, our middle linebacker begins to sprint towards the left side of the field. Our opponent takes a quick look to the left, only to find that the flat route is completely covered by our defenders.
Next, Favre looks back over the middle as he tries to hit the running back. The ball leaves the quarterback's hand as our defensive end is clearly sitting on the route.
Favre's throw is intercepted by right defensive end Alex Brown.
Playing an opponent who knows how to consistently pass the ball to their running backs can be a real headache to deal with. Some advice that we'd like to give when playing an opponent who likes to do this is simply to try place as many defenders as possible into coverage until you can recognize where they like to go with the football. Once you are able to find out what your opponent is doing, then you will have a much better understanding of how to create a counter-attack solution.
