Help with oddball nickel packages

Ok, I can put up points on pretty much anyone, except I have had big time trouble against the wierd nickel packages lately. I hate to do crap like WR screens, but it is all that seems to work for me. Pressure gets to me quick and no one ever seems to get open in time. I have tried keeping a HB and TE back to block and I have tried using big spread sets. Very very frustrating. Now, it probably doesn't help that I was playing the Broncos one game and they had my receivers on lock down.

Any help on reading the defense or what kind of plays to run would be helpful. I get sick of using screens all game against people that don't let up on the blitz even when the screens are working, but I can't come up with anything else and there should be big play potential to exploit their constant pressure by 5+ guys...

Oh, and I would normally run a lot more, but with everyone in the box (they bring a both safeties up too) it makes it very difficult to run...

Hey, good post! I played a guy the other night and struggled against that type of defense. It seemed that he was zone blitzing the side where there was no TE, and had yellow or purple zones to defend the pass. I think there might even me pressure from the middle.

So with all those zones open, you've got to find ways to get a quick pass there. There will be holes in the zone, I find that the circle corner route can get you some yards, but it's a matter of timing. When your WR cuts into the middle, you can complete a pass for 10-15yds. But if the zone is closed, then you've got to wait for him to circle back to the corner....but thats where the pressure would probably get to you. So passes to the flat are the next read.....don't try to block nano's all game, sometime you've got to just hit it back quick. So try passes to the flats.

As for running, I think mixing in a couple of shotgun draws on 2nd and 3rd down could mix things up but you can't run alot against good nano's. Quick passes are the key.

Btw, WR screens work like that? I didn't know they were effective against those type of zone defenses?