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49ers playbook, Week 4: America Fire Zone blitz

Today we are going to break down the America Fire Zone blitz the San Francisco 49ers employed in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4.

First, it is important to understand what the fire-zone blitz is.

The fire-zone blitz involves a five-man pass rush with six defenders dropping into a zone coverage, usually a Cover 3. The purpose is to confuse the quarterback with who is going to pass rush:

The fire zone disguises pressure along the defensive front, and at the snap, the rush becomes three down linemen and two linebackers, or a linebacker and nickel/safety defender.