Login
FacebookTwitterSoundCloud
 
Inside The PylonInside The Pylon
Inside The Pylon
Know Football, Love Football
  • NFL
  • CFB
  • Glossary
  • Listen/Watch
    • Podcasts
      • Breaking the Plane
      • Pylon U
    • Videos
  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Join ITP
  • NFL
  • CFB
  • Glossary
  • Podcasts
  • Video
  • About

ITP Glossary: Banjo Coverage

June 14, 2016Leave a commentGlossary, NFL DefenseBy ITP Editors
glossary

Football is littered with specialized terminology. From punt gunner to climbing the pocket, commentators rarely get to explain everything you need to know before the next play. Inside The Pylon’s glossary was developed to give fans a deeper understanding of the game through clear explanations, as well as image and video examples. Please contact us with any terms or phrases you’d like to know more about.

Banjo Coverage

Banjo coverage is used by defenses to defend against stack and bunch formations of receivers. This concept allows them to match up against receivers who are schemed into getting a free release while still disrupting routes at the line of scrimmage and mirroring receivers downfield.

In an era when spread offenses are revolutionizing football, offensive coordinators are having a heyday. And why shouldn’t they? They’re conducting the movement of the ball in an era in which unprecedented freedom is being given to the offense. However, for every bubble screen and package play they develop, defensive coordinators are putting together new responses to the spread offense. One of those is the combo coverage, more commonly known by its NFL audible, “banjo” coverage.

A stack or bunch is often employed to give a receiver a free release and set up a bubble screen more easily. It puts one receiver on the line (typically a bigger-bodied wide receiver  or even a move tight end) with another about 2 yards behind him in a stack, and two to three split behind him in a bunch. While defensive great Buddy Ryan was content to play off coverage against these formations, most defensive coordinators do not, as off coverage fails to eat up enough space, and will allow some high-percentage quick throws to the receivers.

Banjo coverage eliminates this concern, as one defensive back plays press on the receiver at the line of scrimmage (varies depending on formation and personnel from a nickelback to a cornerback, to even a rover safety in a 4-2-5 defense), while the other plays off coverage. However, after the snap is where banjo coverage varies dramatically from other schemes or audibles.

In Cover 2 zone, the defender in press coverage would jam and drop laterally toward the middle of the field, while the outside corner steps up. In Cover 3 zone, the defender in press would press and shift to the flats while sinking under the retreating outside corner. And in any man scheme, the corners would stick to their man.

Banjo coverage is a man coverage that plays like zone.

The way banjo coverage is coached is as follows: The up back (defender in press) presses the receiver on the line as much as possible. If he can interrupt the release for the receiver, great, but if he can chew up space and disrupt the second receiver, even better. Ideally, neither receiver gets off cleanly, but particularly the one on the line.

The outside corner has to pat his feet and stay patient, as he has outside contain responsibilities and needs to determine if he needs to fly down and attack. Not only does he have to be ready for any bounced runs, but he is also the free tackler against screens, which is crucial.

If the play is a pass, the press corner will take anything releasing inside and wall the middle of the field, while the outside corner takes anything vertical and outside. They are not confined to any receiver at the snap, only once they release. In that sense, they are really playing a zone hybrid scheme by waiting on the release of receivers. Once the receivers have declared their initial stems, the DBs will lock on and play man coverage from there. This is also useful in the red zone, as it eliminates pick routes by keeping the corners clean.

As an example, let’s look to the Green Bay–Arizona playoff game. On their opening drive, Arizona comes out in 01 personnel and spreads the field five-wide. Note the stack weakside, to Carson Palmer‘s right. Micah Hyde (#33) is the up back, and while he doesn’t press, he also doesn’t run with the first man he’s lined up across from, instead taking the short out to Jaron Brown (#13). Instead, it’s Sam Shields (#37) who picks up Michael Floyd (#15) and forces the incompletion down the field.

Banjo coverage is the basic concept of a switch release. As we see offensive coordinators start to play more and more with stacks, from two-man to three-man bunches and even four-man diamonds, defensive coordinators will rely on it more. In an era of hybrid coverages, banjo is a true hybrid: A man defense that plays like zone.

Click here for more Glossary entries. Follow us @ITPylon.

Luc Polglaze wrote this entry. Follow Luc on Twitter @LucPolglaze.

All video and images courtesy NFL Game Pass.

Arizona CardinalsBuddy RyanCarson PalmerGreen Bay PackersJaron BrownMicah HydeMichael FloydSam Shields
Share this post
FacebookTwitterGoogle+
About the author

ITP Editors

Inside The Pylon is focused on providing quality, engaging football analysis for both the NFL and college football. We seek to present the sport in a fun but educational way that allows both newcomers and veteran fans alike to deepen their understanding and enjoyment of the game. Our team aims to deliver high-caliber writing, compelling features and strong opinion on a number of different topics, including sports medicine, film study, in-depth player profiles, statistics, as well as weekly game previews and recaps.

Related posts
The Cowboys Pressure Schemes Against the Giants
September 20, 2018
Football Term Glossary
ITP Glossary: Sluggo Route
September 11, 2018
Eagles LB Jordan Hicks: Checking in After a Ruptured Achilles
September 10, 2018
glossary
ITP Glossary: Drive Block
August 23, 2018
Eli Apple: Setting Expectations
August 2, 2018
Football Term Glossary
ITP Glossary: Sinking the Hips
July 3, 2018
Leave Comment

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

clear formSubmit

Search
Recent Posts
  • Nik Needham is the Best NFL Draft Prospect You Don’t Know
    February 12, 2019
  • Super Bowl LIII: The Blowout That Wasn’t
    February 7, 2019
  • Tom Brady, Josh McDaniels and the 2018 Patriots’ Passing Game
    January 30, 2019
  • The Hypothetical NFL Playoff MVP
    January 30, 2019
  • Aaron Donald: Where He Wins
    January 29, 2019
  • The New England Secondary: Exploit the Hesitation
    January 28, 2019
Pylon U
Follow Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
ITP Newsletter
Recent Articles
  • Nik Needham is the Best NFL Draft Prospect You Don’t Know
  • Super Bowl LIII: The Blowout That Wasn’t
  • Tom Brady, Josh McDaniels and the 2018 Patriots’ Passing Game
  • The Hypothetical NFL Playoff MVP
About ITP
About
Advertise
Contact Us
Media Inquiries
Press Room
Write for ITP
Buy 17 Drives
Follow Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook