“Pick Pressures” have seemingly become more and more popular in the NFL over the last few seasons. The premise is simple; just like a running play on the offensive side of the ball, the defense uses a defender to block or “pick” an offensive lineman, creating a lane for another defender to rush the passer.
In the example below, I’ll walk you through a 4-man simulated pick pressure used by Jaguars Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile to get a sack against the Texans last season.
Campanile did a great job of dictating the protection with his front, attacking where it was vulnerable, and using a coverage behind it that prevented any quick throws.
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Let’s take a look at this from the end zone angle first. Jacksonville initially aligned in a 5-1 front with linebacker Foye Oluokun down over the right tackle:
The 3 defenders to the right of the center forced the Texans to slide in their direction. That left the back side in man protection. The running back would be responsible for linebacker Devin Lloyd (#0):