Difference between Cover 2 and Tampa 2?

[LarryJohnson27]

There is a difference correct? What is it?

[ny10804]

Something like in the Tampa 2 the MLB drops back farther into coverage or something.

[LarryJohnson27]

Originally Posted by ny10804

Something like in the Tampa 2 the MLB drops back farther into coverage or something.

Exactly what I thought, but I wasn't sure if that was all.

[energizerbunny]

in the tampa 2 the safties split out further to the sideline and the MLB drops back further inbetween the safties. It almost requires a saftey type coverage Mike.

[art vandelay]

Originally Posted by energizerbunny

in the tampa 2 the safties split out further to the sideline and the MLB drops back further inbetween the safties. It almost requires a saftey type coverage Mike.

Well put...aka why the Bills let London Fletcher walk.

[energizerbunny]

Originally Posted by art vandelay

Well put...aka why the Bills let London Fletcher walk.

usually you want a tall Mike in the Tampa 2 as well. Since it will make it harder to throw over him. This is one of the reaons Urlacher is so successful in this system.

[art vandelay]

Originally Posted by energizerbunny

usually you want a tall Mike in the Tampa 2 as well. Since it will make it harder to throw over him. This is one of the reaons Urlacher is so successful in this system.

Yes, plus Fletcher really isn't a good coverage LBer, he's more of a thumper. Also, he isn't that good in "flying to the ball," he is more likely to let the runner come to him.

[MichaelJordanEberle (sabf)]

They're pretty much the same thing these days. The Tampa 2 just takes away one of the weaknesses of the Cover 2. Teams don't run a Madden-style cover 2.

[Zbikowski_9]

Patrick Willis should be a big target for these teams, i think he is on the Bills list. He is nice and tall and a good coverage MLB

[BuffaloDraftGeek]

Tampa 2 is a variation of the cover 2. Sort of like asking what the difference between the basic 46 and bears 46 is. Its taking one, and making adjustments to it. If those adjustments are good (which they were) it becomes the norm of that scheme.

[etk]

the Difference Is That Cover 2 Sucks & Tampa 2 Owns

[etk]

Just because it's called Tampa 2 doesn't mean only Tampa runs it....I've seen Lofa Tatupu drop pretty far many times.

[sweetness34]

Originally Posted by etk

Just because it's called Tampa 2 doesn't mean only Tampa runs it....I've seen Lofa Tatupu drop pretty far many times.

Indy, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, and Tampa run that type of system (I'm sure there are more but I can't think of them).

[Billingsley26]

That exaplains why two years ago Gary Brackett (i think it was him, could be cato June as well) had so many picks. Dropping back that far into coverage would allow him to have more opportunities.

In the Tampa 2 the MLB essentially becomes the middle safety, making it like a Cover 3 defense. To execute this style of defense, a team has to have a very athletic MLB whose primary responsibility is to cover the deep middle of the field, while the secondary responsibility is to help out in run support. Few MLB's come to mind that can execute both responsibilities well enough (Urlacher, Vilma, Tatupu). Energizerbunny had a point about having a taller MLB, but that's more of a secondary trait to the speed (what good does a 6'4" linebacker have if he can't get 20 yards back; note that Urlacher has the speed and the height coveted).

What the MLB does is check to see if the tight end or slot receiver is running any sort of route up the deep middle. If they see a deep middle route developing, the MLB covers the deep middle receiver (or the deep middle zone if the receiver leaves that zone).

Because of the personnel preferences (small, fast front 7, bigger CBs and hard hitting safeties), one way to exploit the tampa 2 is to run the ball up the middle or off-tackle. The design concedes 4 yards/carry if you take it, with the normal 7-vs-7 box. A more specific way is the draw up the middle, making sure the tight end releases as if he were running a passing route. This draws the MLB up the middle, leaving a larger hole for the RB to run through.

Because of the responsibility of the MLB to drop deep into coverage, he often becomes the main target of offensive game-planners to exploit in the passing game. The primary way to attack it right now is to high-low the MLB. In the super bowl, Indy sent Dallas Clark up the middle on seam routes all day, lifting Urlacher up into the deep middle zone. This left the short middle zone open for Rhodes and Addai to catch little dump off passes for 5-10 yards a pop, consistently moving the chains.

Here's a couple links to help:
Introducing Cover 2/Tampa 2:
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/ram...hp?p=167&cat=1

Running against the Colts (Tampa 2 scheme):
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/200...inicamps/4772/

[Caddy]

Nice links.

[RoyHall#1]

Originally Posted by etk

the Difference Is That Cover 2 Sucks & Tampa 2 Owns

Yeah, the Bear's defense sucks. All they did was take their team to the super bowl with Rex Grossman at QB.

[fenikz]

the bears basically run the tampa 2

[niel89]

Originally Posted by RoyHall#1

Yeah, the Bear's defense sucks. All they did was take their team to the super bowl with Rex Grossman at QB.

yeah they run the defense that is refered to as the tampa 2. you fail

[Space Ghost]

I really hope that that emoticon works on the new boards or my sarcasm towards this picture will not be seen.

[etk]

Originally Posted by RoyHall#1

Yeah, the Bear's defense sucks. All they did was take their team to the super bowl with Rex Grossman at QB.

The Bears run the Tampa 2. Lovie won't admit it, but it's true. He WAS a Bucs co-ordinator before the Rams and eventually Bears, you know? Brian Urlacher drops farther than I've ever seen Quarles drop. The Bears completely run the Tampa 2. They even copy Simeon Rice by lining up Anderson in a 7-tech and sprinting him at the QB. Every little detail of that defense is a complete copy of the Tampa 2.

[kmartin575]

Does anybody know which one the Chiefs run?

[Moses]

Cover 2


Tampa 2

[YAYareaRB]

I believe it also calls for physical corners as well.

[yourfavestoner]

Originally Posted by etk

Just because it's called Tampa 2 doesn't mean only Tampa runs it....I've seen Lofa Tatupu drop pretty far many times.

That's because every single team in the league runs Tampa Two and Cover Two plays.