After it was somewhat phased out during the cover-three rise (Legion of Boom Seahawks in the 2010s), cover-two is back en vogue in many defensive systems. From an offensive perspective, there are some vulnerabilities in cover-two. Mainly, the “honey hole” along the sideline. As shown above, the coverage structure has a defender in the flat (usually a cornerback) and the split-field safety over the top. If the quarterback can layer the ball between these two defenders, there’s space for a big play in the vacated area.
In his first two seasons, Patriots QB Drake Maye has been among the league’s best passers against cover-two defenses, ranking 11th among 47 qualified quarterbacks versus cover-two in expected points added (EPA). More specifically, Maye excels at throwing vertical routes into the honey hole, making several big-time throws outside the numbers. This season, Maye is 6-of-8 for 96 passing yards on throws into the honey hole. Earlier this week, Maye explained why throwing the hole shot against cover-two is one of his favorite throws in his passing arsenal.
“When I’m starting to see cover-two, it’s one of those, ‘Hey, let’s take advantage of it.’ It’s one of the voids in the defense. Growing up, playing a lot of 7-on-7, and they say that 7-on-7 wasn’t great for football, but it’s great for quarterbacks seeing hole shots and throwing hole shots. You’re throwing with some pace on it and still getting some arc,” Maye said. “It’s becoming more and more of a thing in the league of trying to show different things and go to cover-two. So, it’s something that I like throwing. It’s one of my favorite throws.”