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Step 1
Wait until just before the quarterback receives the snap from center to get into called defensive coverage. If the quarterback knows the coverage ahead of time, he can call a different play that exploits the weakness of the defensive coverage.
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Step 2
Act as though you suffered an injury on the previous play. Rise from a tackle slowly or feign a slight limp. Often quarterbacks will throw the ball to your side on the assumption that you're injured.
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Step 3
Play off the man you cover and the ball. A defensive player can often get an interception by playing the man he covers and anyone in the immediate vicinity. For instance, if there is another offensive receiver in the area besides your man, you can come offer your coverage, break on the other offensive player and make a play on the ball.
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Step 4
Decoy the quarterback into a errant pass. Act as if you have been beaten on a coverage, then speed up and make a play after the quarterback has thrown the football.
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Step 5
Disguise the coverage to confuse the quarterback. When the quarterback comes to the line of scrimmage, get close to the receiver as if in man-to-man defense. At the snap, back into a zone coverage. You can also do the reverse. Give the receiver some space on the field, as if you're playing zone defense. At the last minute, switch to man-to-man coverage and play defense close to the receiver.
