Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Cover 6 talk was all the rage on Tuesday as internet coaches across X tried to debunk its effectiveness against Drake Maye and how to beat it. Well, I am here to tell you that it is not that hard to attack and it is far from Maye’s kryptonite.
Cover 6 is a combination coverage in which the weak side of the coverage call is Cover 2 and the front side of the Coverage call is Cover 4 or “Quarters.” It is used for different reasons at different levels.
In high school, Cover 6 is used as long down coverage or trips adjuster. Cover 6 is a common zone adjustment to trips because it allows the defense to play 3 on 3 to trips but it also to potentially double a back side X receiver who is big and could be a match up problem. If there is no other receiving threat to that side I.E a number two receiver, then the corner trails X vertically and the free safety plays the route over the top thus creating a double team. By the way, the standard Cover 2 “Hole” shot doesn’t work without a second route to the backside.
In college and the NFL, Cover 6 is also a trips adjustment but it is also more of a standard coverage used against teams that employ a lot of slot formations and run weak side. It is designed to get the seam safety involved in run support. It is also a late disguise coverage that may look like Cover 3 that rotates to 6 post snap.
So how do you attack Cover 6? Simple. Here some ways I have attacked it through the years.
Compressed Formations: Compressed formations are a great way to get a defense to check out of their coverage call and adjust. Defenses don’t like lining up against compressed formations regardless of what coverage they are in because it forces their secondary to play off.
Bunch and two stack formations force them to play off and create space for the receivers to get open. Remember. Cover 6 is a trips adjuster so you are going to have to get create with your formations if you want to either free guys up or force them to check out of it.
Diagrams 1-2: Examples of bunch or compressed formations
Motion: Motion forces adjustment but it can also force a check. Defenses have built in checks for formations and movement. Motion might be a good way to get them out of Cover 6. If you do motion, isolate the outside corner with a curl or hitch and clear or replace with the other routes in the concept.
Video Diagram: Using motion to clear out for a curl.
Put 5 Out: Easier said than against a front like Seattle’s but getting the running back involved in the passing game or even going empty could be a good way to attack Cover 6.
Video Diagram: Five out route concept vs. Cover 6
Diagram 4: Trips 6 Beater with H Check
Go BIG: The Patriots have been going a lot of 22 Rhino personnel this season with Thayer Munford . If Seattle plays a lot of Cover 6, especially to a slot, one of the ways the Patriots could attack it is by running football out out of 22 Rhino to the tight end side. I would be surprised if Seattle played 6 to any two back formations.
Video Diagram: Jab Power out of 22 Rhino
Route Concepts to attack Cover 6: As someone who has used and faced Cover 6 plenty in my 32 year coaching career, I know how to attack it, so does Josh McDaniels. Here are some route concepts I like to the 1/4, 1/4 side.
Diagrams 5-8: Three man concepts
Disgrams 9-13: Two man concepts
Cover 6 can be challenging but it is not this big bad wolf coverage that Maye and the Patriots cannot overcome. McDaniels will have plenty of 6 beaters in the plan. The Buffalo Bills might have given him some trouble in it but to quote The Who, he won’t get fooled again.