Ask anyone in Baltimore about Dean Pees’ 3-man rush and you are going to get some colorful remarks. Fans just don’t like the concept of rushing 3 and dropping 8 into coverage.

What happens when the the offense gets the ball out too quick? Or the defense just isn’t playing with energy?

Enter the Three Man Rush

The three-man rush is designed to prevent the first down by dropping 8 defenders into coverage. The Free Safety and Cornerbacks cover a third of the field. Their job is to play all of the deep routes. Short passes such as curls and flat on the outside are taken away by Outside Linebackers. If the Quarterback wants to throw in the middle of the field, then the Safety and Linebackers are there. Their jobs are to defend the routes that break toward the middle of the field.

If the Quarterback is expecting pressure and the defense drops into maximum coverage, the Quarterback could throw the ball to a defender that he was not expecting to be there.

Effectiveness of the Three Man Rush

In 2010, Football Outsiders analyzed the success rate league wide when defenses rushed three. The result was that Defenses had a success rate of 60% when rushing 3 and dropping 8 into coverage. Compare that to the 57% success rate Defenses has when rushing 5. 

Is the three man rush a viable scheme in the NFL?

You bet.

Sometimes, when things don’t work out, it’s on the players – not the coaches or the scheme.