4-3 Over – Fire Zone 2

For this Madden Plays breakdown, we look at a zone blitz called 4-3 Over – Fire Zone 2. The design of this zone blitz  is to get pressure from the right outside linebacker. Behind the blitz there are 6 defenders playing zone coverage. The safeties play 2 deep. The corners play the flats and the two linebackers play hook zones. 

Play Diagram:

Playbooks Found In:

• 4-3
• 49ers
• Bengals
• Bills
• Browns
• Chargers
• Chiefs
• Colts
• Cover 2
• Cowboys
• Dolphins
• Eagles
• Falcons
• Jaguars
• Lions
• Panthers
• Patriots
• Raiders
• Saints
• Seahawks
• Vikings

Note: Based on Madden 20 playbooks

Default Assignments:

Quick Set-Up:

1. Hot route the LOLB to bluff blitz.
2. Move the LOLB near the line of scrimmage and between the RE and WDT.
3. Release the LOLB.
4. QB Contain the ROLB and LE (optional).
5. Switch to any other defender of your choice.
6. Call bump-n-run coverage to give the illusion Cover 3 coverage has been called.

Coaching Points:

1. The pressure comes from the ROLB.
2. Choose any defender you want to control. In most cases, we like to control one of the safeties.
3. There are only 5 defenders rushing the quarterback.
4. If the fullback or halfback stays into pass block, they will block the ROLB.
5. Consider if you have one, subbing X-Factor linebacker in at the ROLB spot.
6. If you don’t have an X-Factor linebacker, consider putting your fastest linebacker at the ROLB spot.
7. This setup works against Gun formations.

Video Breakdown:

Final Thoughts:

The 4-3 Over – Fire Zone 2 is a very simple defense to set up, making it online connected franchise friendly. The pressure from the right outside linebacker gets to home to the quarterback. If your opponent likes to roll his quarterback out, do not forget to put the left end and right outside linebacker in QB Contain.

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