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2-High Coverage: The Secret to Shutting Down Explosive Offenses

On3 imageby:Ian Boyd•4 hours ago•

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Duane Akina
Duane Akina (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

2-high coverage has become the go-to strategy for defenses aiming to limit explosive plays and frustrate modern passing attacks. By keeping two safeties deep, it forces offenses to stay patient, take short gains, and abandon their deep shots downfield.

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The video explores the concept of the “two high” defense in football, particularly its increasing prominence and effectiveness in the NFL. Traditionally, NFL defenses employed a single high safety in the deep middle of the field, often relying on man coverage.

However, “two high” defense, where both safeties stay deep on opposite sides of the field leaving the middle open, has gained popularity as a strategic response to modern spread offenses that aggressively attack deep passing lanes. The video explains the fundamentals of this defense, clarifies common misconceptions (especially around terminology like Cover Two and Quarters coverage), and provides real-game examples illustrating its application and effectiveness.

It also discusses how offenses try to counter this defense, particularly by running the ball, and why stopping the run against a two high defense is critical to its success. The hosts emphasize the complexity and adaptability of two high defenses, highlighting their capacity to confuse offenses and force them into less efficient plays. The video concludes by noting that two high coverage is a sophisticated “bend but don’t break” approach designed to congest deep passing lanes and keep offenses in front of the defense.

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