5-Man Single-Edge Pressure (Vance Joseph)

This pressure is about as straightforward as it gets - a linebacker adding onto the 4-man rush with a blitz off the edge. We sometimes forget in football that simplicity doesn’t mean ineffective. The example below perfectly illustrates this idea.

This blitz comes courtesy of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph from Week 7 of the 2024 season in a game between the Saints and Broncos.

New Orleans faced a 1st-and-10 and came out in “12” personnel (1 RB, 2 TE’s). Denver matched up to them with Base (4 DBs):

The Saints would end up motioning a tight end across the formation to create a 3x1 set. They would release the back to the left and utilize a 5-man protection: