Firezone Coverage Seam Technique Coaching Points
Long time Pittsburgh Steeler Defensive Coordinator Dick Lebeau (currently with the Tennessee
Titans) is known for his firezone pressure package. Coach Lebeau’s 3 under 3 deep firezone
coverage concept has been the topic of multiple posts on Blitzology in the past. This post is a
continuation of those same concepts. The following information is from the 2003 Kentucky
Defensive Playbook. The defensive coordinator was Mike Archer. Before his time at Kentucky,
Coach Archer served as the linebacker coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1996-2002. With
Coach Archer coming from the Lebeau coaching tree much of the firezone terminology and
techniques are similar.
This post focuses on the Seam Drop. Coaching points for this drop from Coach Lebeau were
covered previously on Blitzology (Here).
The Seam technique from Coach Archer follows many of the same coaching points.
The basic structure of the 3 under 3 deep coverage is:
3 Under
Seam
3 Receiver Hook
Seam
3 Deep
FZ 1/3 Corner
Lean Post Safety
FZ 1/3 Corner
The diagram shows in the simplest form the responsibilities of the Seam player. If the #2
receiver runs:
Outside = Match
Vertical = Carry
Inside = Deliver
Coach Archer defines the Seam drop in the playbook.
Seam Drop – Played in 3 underneath 3 Deep zones. Align inside or outside of the #2 receiver.
Match-Carry-Deliver the deepest and outside of #2 or #3. Vs. a removed #2 with over split
between he and #3 align inside and drop inside the #2 receiver and work to his outside shoulder
– maintain vision and break.
The seam player aligns 1-2 yards inside of #2 and 6 yards deep vs. a wide split between #2 and
#3.
Coach Archer goes on to define Match-Carry-Deliver
● Match #2 / #3 outside leverage on any flat release.
● Carry #2 / #3 outside in vs. any vertical route.
● Deliver #2 / #3 outside in on any inside release until forced to come off with either a call
or another eligible crosses your face from the inside out
Here are some example diagrams.
Carry - Cover the deepest / outside of #2 /#3
The Seam player is working from inside to the outside shoulder of the vertical release of #2. The
Seam player will only collision the #2 outside in and never inside out. All of the Seam player's
help is inside from the 3RH and the Lean Post Safety.
Leverage with width and vision
The Seam player drops with width and then squeezing inside.
Match = Leverage first to the flat of #2 / #3
The Seam player is playing with depth over the first to the flat (#3). This should keep the Seam
player in the window of any route by #1.
Against two releases in the same direction play deep to shallow.
By keeping depth over the first to the flat the Seam player is still in body position to play deep to
shallow on the #2 and #3.
Deliver #2 inside until another color crosses your face outside.
Match & Carry
Match the first to the flat of #2 / #3
Carry any flat and up
Vs. Flood = Lock #2
Flood = 3 Receivers releasing into routes to the weak side of the formation
Lock – Puts a defensive player “locked” on a receiver regardless of receiver’s release
If the #3 receiver is releasing away from the Seam player the Seam player locks on the #2
receiver and covers him man to man.
Against any D area motion the Seam player locks the #2
