The 3-4 Bear formation is where we are going to spend the majority of our time on defense. The Cover 3 and Cover 2 invert defenses do a great job of slowing down the run and providing coverage throughout the entire field. There is nothing wrong with spending 75% of your time or more in this formation.
Playbook: San Francisco 49ers
Formation: 3-4 Bear
Play: Cover 3
Setup:
- Base Align
- Shift your defensive line whichever way makes sense to stop the run
- Bring your safety down a little and user control him to stop the run.
Overview: This is one of the best defenses in the game. For only rushing 3 guys, it does an incredible job of slowing down the run and it covers the whole field. Just make sure you don’t get beat deep over the middle. There is nothing wrong with calling this play 50% of the game or more. Stay in it until your opponent proves that he can consistently beat it.
Playbook: San Francisco 49ers
Formation: 3-4 Bear
Play: Cover 2 Invert
Setup:
- Base Align
- Shift your defensive line whichever way makes sense to stop the run
- Bring your safety down a little and user control him to stop the run.
Overview: Call this play if your opponent has demonstrated that he can consistently beat your cover 3 defense. It happens very rarely but every now and then someone will be able to beat the cover. When that happens, call the cover 2.
Playbook: San Francisco 49ers
Formation: 3-4 Bear
Play: Pinch Mike 0
Setup:
- Crash your defensive line down
- Shift your defensive line to the left
- Put your ROLB (on the left side of the screen in a zone)
- (Optional – For Advanced Gamers) Instead of putting your ROLB in zone coverage, put him in man to man coverage against whoever the free safety was covering and then put the free safety into a yellow zone and patrol the middle of the field with him.
- (Optional) Base Align
Overview: This play works really well when your opponent isn’t doing a quick pass. It works even better if your opponent is under center instead of in shotgun or pistol. If he is trying to go deep and isn’t blocking extra guys (which he shouldn’t be because he needs all 5 wide receiver options against your cover 3) then you should have no problem getting pressure.
Playbook: San Francisco 49ers
Formation: 3-4 Bear
Play: Pinch Dog 3
Setup:
- Base Align
- Crash your defensive line down
- Shift your defensive line to the left
- Blitz your MLB #2
- Hot route your ROLB (on the left side of the screen) to a light blue or purple zone
Overview: This play is very similar to the Pinch Mike 0 play but this one has zone coverage behind it just to give your opponent a different look. Don’t overuse these blitzes. If you call them too much they stop being as effective. You should be in the 3-4 Bear Cover 3 most of the game. Remember, this play works best against under center but it will work against shotgun and pistol as well.
Playbook: San Francisco 49ers
Formation: 3-4 Bear
Play: Cover 1 Hole
Setup:
- Hot route your ROLB (on the left side of the screen to a zone
- (Optional) Shift your defensive line to the left
Overview: This is a good play to change it up every now and then. You could never need to call this play all game but you might want to throw it in just so your opponent has to think about a max coverage man defense out of this formation. But at most only call it a couple times per game.
I’m finding that bringing my safety down leaves me really vulnerable to deep throws with play action even when I pass commit. The aggressive catch is so overpowered that if guys throw it deep to Julio, Brown, Megatron, ect, they end up with a huge gain
I see that someone below me commented on the deep ball problem. Can you elaborate on the positioning, I’m not overly strong at user control on defense.
Great guide, I’m really trying to learn defense, but it’s hard as I haven’t played in a few years. I have a basic question first, which I should likely know, but how do you choose which defensive you want before the snap so quickly and accurately? I hate cycling through them like that.
Thanks for the feedback! In regards to your question, you hold the B button on XBOX One or the circle button on PS4 and then you use the left stick to point toward which player you want to select.
Hah, I told you it was basic. Thanks so much. As I said, my defense needs work, especially user controlling, but your offensive books have been great. So much better on offense, winning a lot of games.
Really great content! What’s the purpose of base aligning? Just to disguise the coverages? Thanks!
Base Align keeps your defenders where they are instead of going out and lining up with receivers. It is just a way of making sure the plays always works the same regardless of what formation or personnel your opponent uses.
Hey I was wondering, how do you change back to your recent player you had selected instead of going through your whole defensive lineup on the ps4? Sorry for the noob question haha
You can hold the circle/B button and then use the directional pad left, right, up, or down, and that will give you better control of which player you select.
I am able to stop everything but the TE. No matter what i do i get burt by the TE.
can we get some blitzes for the 46 bear? i didnt see any 46 bear stuff in these ebooks
Dudes it takes time and repitition to get this D down and be successful and there is ALWAYS a counter play for every defense play that will make the def play useless thats just football…think of this as a tool set…each new play is a different tool in your tool bag of plays…and once u get the basic premise you can start customizing your own plays
Does the 3-4 bear stuff still work and is the cover 3 still recommend like stated above ?
The cover 3 is still recommended but some of the blitzes in the 3-4 bear no longer work.
I’ve learned a bunch here. definitely worth the 20$/mo. thanks gents
Glad you are enjoying it!