Attacking Screens as a Defensive Back

I talk a lot in here about handling the traditional passing game.  That means when teams come at you with the route tree and common pass concepts vs your zone or man coverage.  However,  there is a passing concept that often gets over looked and it’s being used more and more by offenses.

That concept is the screen pass.  The most common screen pass in football is the one to the running back directly behind the on rushing defensive linemen and linebackers.  However,  the wide receiver and bubble screen have gained more and more popularity in offensive football.  By popularity,  I mean success.  Even teams that would be described as heavy run teams are using the screens as an extension of their rushing game.  Once they pound you between the tackles with the ground game forcing you to bring defenders in the box,  they start throwing screen passes out wide to speedy receivers.

If defensive backs and defenses as a whole don’t do a good job using their leverage and attacking the screens the right way there’ll be no end to how many you will see in a game.  Screen passes are rarely intercepted and so it’s a safe option to pass the football and try to get a big play.

In the video below,  I show you a great example of how to attack a screen pass and show you ways that you can discourage offenses from running them.  As always,  if you have any questions,  you can comment below this post or send me an email to: cwilson@alleyesdbcamp.com – Thank you for being a member.

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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