Cover 5 (2-Man) Defense

How Cover 5 Works

The corners and linebackers each take a receiver man to man while the two safeties split the deep field, as in Cover 2 Tampa. The man defenders play inside leverage in trail technique, sitting underneath their receivers to take away short and intermediate throws.

Where Cover 5 Is Weak

• Your legs. Every underneath defender is turned to a receiver, so a scramble or designed QB run has nobody watching it.
• Crossing routes and rubs that make trailing defenders fight through traffic.
• The deep middle between the safeties, for a receiver who wins vertically against the man defender.
• Routes that break away from a defender's leverage, like a back or slot on an option route.

How to Recognize It

• Two high safeties, deep and wide like Cover 2 Tampa.
• Corners and the nickel tight on receivers, playing underneath them.
• Linebackers lined up on the backs and tight end, eyes on them instead of the backfield.
• Motion a receiver. A defender who follows the motion across the formation means man.
• At the snap the safeties bail to their halves and every underneath defender runs with an assigned receiver, on the hip in trail technique. Nobody is watching you.

How a QB Reads It

Be patient: short and intermediate throws will be contested. Work the crosser, rub or option route away from a trailing defender, or a vertical winner between the safeties. If nothing is there, run.