How many teams still run a real cover 2 defense?

[The Legend]

Bears. Tampa. Colts. Are There Any Other Cover 2 Defenses?

[frubulubu]

Its more like, what resl team, runs a cover 2?

[Monomach]

Bears. Tampa. Colts. Are There Any Other Cover 2 Defenses?

Every team runs Cover 2. You mean Tampa 2. One is a coverage shell. One is a base defense. :D

The Bears don't even run Tampa 2 anymore. Lovie's tinkered with it so much that it's something new and worse. He has his corners giving 10 yard cushions at the line so that quick passes outside are always completed. He has all three linebackers right on the line at the snap so that none of them has time to drop back into coverage, meaning that you can march down the field on nothing but quick slants. It's stupid.

[BlindSite]

Carolina run a modified one under Ron Meeks.

[AntoinCD]

I don't think any teams run a true Tampa 2 anymore. However at times most teams will employ at least parts of it. Offenses are much two sophisticated now to simply line up an play Tampa 2 all the time.

[yourfavestoner]

Jacksonville tinkered with a 3-man front at the beginning of the season, saw it blow up in their face, and promptly went back to running the Tampa Two.

Minnesota is another Tampa Two team. The Bills were up until this offseason. The Titans pretty much were under Shwartz (more of a Cover Two-Man Under), but I have no idea if that's what he's doing in Detroit.

Essentially, all "Tampa Two" really means anymore is that you're a team that relies heavily on zone principles and getting pressure with your front four. If you can get pressure with just your front four, then you have a numbers advantage on defense - you have more guys in coverage than the offense has running routes.