Matt Bowen, The Examiner
2007-09-26 07:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

The Cover 2, embraced by just about every NFL defense, has found a niche in D.C. The Washington Redskins are running it more than ever.

Yes, the Redskins are a pressure team, but you can’t pressure an opponent all game.

The “Tampa 2” - called that because of its success when Tony Dungy coached the Buccaneers - needs certain ingredients to make it work, which the Redskins have: a middle linebacker who can run, physical and athletic corners, two safeties with range who can hit, and a line that can pressure the quarterback. The defense must be fast, physical, and have excellent pursuit.

The Tampa 2 requires the middle linebacker, in this case London Fletcher, to run the middle of the field against tight ends and wide receivers. This creates almost a three-deep look, with safeties Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry covering the deep halves and overlapping on Fletcher after the pass. The corners sink to protect the safeties on corner routes and react to any ball thrown in front of them. The other linebackers drop to an area between the hash marks and the numbers, moving with the quarterback, trying to steal any routes thrown underneath Fletcher.

This leaves the biggest question mark facing Washington. Can its line apply pressure? This remains to be seen. End Andre Carter and the boys need to produce sacks to keep using this package.

It sounds simple. It looks simple on paper. It is anything but simple.

This defense requires a strict discipline in coverage area and reaction. It is challenged by the same routes run by every team. Sunday, the Giants kept sending tight end Jeremy Shockey down the seam against Fletcher, and had receiver Plaxico Burress sit down in the holes vacated by defenders. Three major routes can beat the Tampa 2: the 7-route (hitch, corner), where they sneak in a corner route behind the corner and in front of the safety; four verticals where they put two seam routes on Fletcher, and the outside vertical stretch (flat-corner-go route), where they run off the safety and hit the 7-route over the corner. However, good Tampa 2 defenses force passes to the flat every time, because they hit their landmarks, rely on the rush and react to the ball.

This defense will pressure opposing offenses. But with the ability to sprinkle in Tampa 2 — a turnover machine — it will allow them to dictate the style of game.

Former Redskins safety Matt Bowen, a seven-year NFL veteran, contributes a weekly column to The Examiner during the season.