[BobCarl]

https://theathletic.com/2898475/2021/10 ... deception/

Defining ‘simulated pressures’ and ‘creepers’: Schemes that involve rushing four defenders with deception

Sims and creepers are both four-man rushes that involve bringing one or two second- or third-level defenders while dropping one or two first-level defenders. So an example would be blitzing an inside linebacker while dropping a defensive lineman (into coverage).

“Creepers — we’re not showing pressure. Sims (simulated pressure)— we are showing pressure.”

Typically, creepers are associated with zone coverage and the defense doesn’t show that they are bringing pressure until right before the snap or after the snap. They are (sometimes) called on run downs so defenses can get more defenders to the line of scrimmage aggressively and still have eyes on the ball because they would be playing zone.

Usually, sims are associated with man coverage and the defense will show the pressure to get the offense to keep more players in to block or to intimidate the quarterback. Mainly, showing pressure is used to dictate the offense to get into certain protection schemes and then hurt them by running a pressure that attacks the weakness of that scheme or creates an advantageous pass rush matchup.

“A guy like Mike Zimmer, who shows the double mug stuff a lot, where those guys are up in the A-gaps”. “He may only bring them 10 percent of the time but you have to honor that because the one time out of 10 that he does and you don’t change your protection, he’ll have a free runner on your $30 million player, who is unprotected or he’s protected by some little running back on agent 54 (Eric Kendricks).”

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Again, these aren’t hard definitions, so you’ll have to leave some room in your mind for crossover and rule-breakers. Coaches may define or bucket them differently. For example, some coaches call creepers zone replacements and some bucket them both as just sims. However, these definitions should work as general guidelines to differentiate the two terms.

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The first photo below is a "sim" (simulated pressure) with two linebackers showing blitz in the A-gap. #55 in the 3-pt stance covers the RB. This play resulted with the QB throwing a quick dump-off pass to the RB, who was pushed out of bounds near the line of scrimmage.

The 2nd photo below is a "creeper", the DE on the near side drops back into coverage, the corner on the far side of the field rushes and RB doesn't realize it. This play resulted in a sack by the CB