Florida Fire Zone: Raider

RAIDER
This “gut” pressure meant to stuff the run as well as create problems for BOB protection, creates an interesting dilemma for offenses. By blitzing both the MLB and WLB, the center becomes overwhelmed with two rushers in A gap. He will look to take the MLB and likely leave the WLB for the remaining back, as well as gaining support from his guards. However, the guards will be looking to handle the nose and tackle, but these defenders are expanding outward (which will cause the guards to retreat and gain depth to look for other stunting linemen). BOB (big on big) protection puts the five offensive linemen against five immediate threat defenders (typically 4 down linemen + 1 MLB) with any additional threats (WLB) being picked up by a back. If you bring five men (against five), all it takes is for one offensive lineman to get beat (physically or by missed assignment) to ruin a quarterback's day. By overloading protections, you may leave one of those five without a man to block (giving the defense a free rusher).

The offense, if actually alerted to this pressure, will likely gap it down so the linemen account for the blitzing linebackers (releasing the back weak to account for the defensive end). This is fine, but the defensive line is stunting away from the interior pressure and the end the back is setting up in protection for, ISN'T rushing the passer (he is dropping to rob any #2 weak receiver).

With both the WLB and MLB now blitzing, the defense must somehow account for #2 and #3 strong. The SLB accounts for #2 strong and the strong safety now robs the middle hole (#3). Again, this is what makes the fire zone concepts so wickedly deadly to offenses (and why they are so pervasive in the game from the NFL on the way down to HS).