The last decade has seen an explosion of pre-snap shifts and motions in NFL offensive schemes. One way to counter these constant push-and-pull features is to play from a two-high shell. The defense is better positioned and can conceal its overall intentions for much longer.
Currently, the NFL meta uses open-to-closed rotations or shows two-high but spins to a closed-post defense. Cover 3 remains the most dominant coverage in the NFL, accounting for ~28% of all snaps in 2025. Add Cover 1, and closed-post coverages account for 52% of all coverages called (FTN).
Teams that feature a high number of coverage disguises tend to be from the same system, with the Fangio-adjacent crew leading the way. Most units feature a majority of open-to-closed rotations, but the closed-post-dominant defense has its own answer to baiting the offensive coordinator into calling the wrong play.
Disguise rates, overall, account for almost a third of all plays in the NFL, with a baseline of 30%. Closed-to-open disguises are rare, accounting for less than 10% of all calls.
The Rams run a Fangio-adjacent system, but defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s background makes him an outlier within it. Head Coach Sean McVay wants a disguised defensive scheme that matches his offensive philosophy, but LA stands out for its use of closed-to-open rotations.
LA ranks third in disguised rates across the league at 40% and is fifth in closed-to-open disguised rates (13%). Still, the Rams feature a two-high disguise on over a quarter of their plays (27%), ranking them seventh in the league. But opponents have to contend with both high levels of open and closed post disguises, which are not found in “sister” schemes like the Eagles (<1%) and Panthers (8%).
Another scheme-divergent aspect of Shula’s defense is its heavy use of Cover 2 in the coverage menu. Last season, the Rams ranked sixth in their use. One way the Rams amplified their coverage disguise system was by using closed-post pre-snap pictures to morph into non-traditional Cover 2 concepts.
The main way the Rams converted closed-post looks into Cover 2 was through a boundary “roll.” LA would show a standard Cover 3 look, but would “roll” the coverage into the boundary. 83% of Shula’s closed-to-open disguises turned out to be Cover 2 concepts.
Traditional Fangio-adjacent schemes leverage their secondary from a two-high shell to get into their “base” Cover 9 or weak rotation Cover 3. Shula has deviated from the Base system established in LA in 2020 by using closed-to-open rotations at volume.
While open-to-closed is the Rams’ primary rotation (27%), their 13% closed-to-open volume is actually among the highest in the league. Offenses not only have to deal with a heavy volume of open-post looks, but also with Shula’s use of disguise from static Cover 3 alignments. Let’s dive into the tape!
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