Football 101...Training Camp for the Fan.
 

We have many Young posters, and fans who have never played football on the board. Some have vast football knowledge and could educate some of us that have things to learn, so we can more than nod our heads and pretend to understand the conversation, thereby getting more benefit in season conversation.

If you have a question, don't be afraid to ask it. Myself, someone who knows will explain it the best we can, or link it on the web. In this thread, there should be no such thing as a "stupid Football related question".

For those who really know.....pick a topic and explain it in a way that a Jr High kid could understand.

Offensive Line Schemes...the difference between zone blocking etc.
Cover 2 defense, zone defense, man defense.....1,2 and 3 gap DLine techniques.........whats an Hback....the difference between a SS and FS and their responsibilities.

Let the questions and Answers rip. this could be a great educational experience. Lets Go planet, Get the Rookies in Game-day Shape.

Why are helmets called helmets?

if a d lineman is supposed to tackle the ball carrier and control the line of scrimmage why is he dropping in pass coverage

I expect that you are being sarcastic, but I will bite anyway....

To confuse the enemy QB who is thinking that they will be tackling the ball carrier and controling the line of scrimmage.

And it worked quite well for the first two years it was implemented, but it is old hat now.

I know you're being a wiseguy...but

http://www.pasttimesports.biz/history.html

A history and tradition more than 100 years old.
The leather football helmet has it’s origin more than100 years ago first worn in an 1893 Army-Navy game. An Annapolis shoemaker created the first helmet for Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves, who had been advised by a Navy doctor that he would be risking death or “instant insanity” if he took another kick to the head. Later in 1896 Lafayette College halfback George Barclay so feared the fabled cauliflower ear on his “hearing organs”, which he felt was a direct cause of playing bare-headed, that he had a playing hat made. His design was a special headgear which was held to his head by three heavy leather straps fashioned by a harness maker, thus giving the first football helmets the nomenclature “head-harness”. The Golden Era - The helmet as we know it today has undergone many changes in its 100 years. Helmets were not mandatory until the 30’s. Most of the 1890--1915 games were actually played without helmets. It was not unusual to see half of the early players with helmets and half without. Around World War I the helmets were so flimsy that they were often mistaken for aviator caps. Year by year more padding was added and from the 1920’s thru 1940’s, considered the Golden Age of college, pro and high school football — helmets, like the ones we are offering here, always were strictly of leather construction. Flying wing, colors and targets - Another interesting fact was that nearly all of the games in this era were played in unadorned helmets —school logos colors and mascots were rarely used. As the great rivalries grew colleges and high schools began to hand-paint their helmets. The idea was that the simple colors, in the first days of the forward pass, allowed receivers to finally be distinguishable to the quarterback when they were heavily covered and far down the field. Not until 1948 was the first logo, the Rams horns, painted on a pro leather helmet. Soon after, practically every college, pro and high school team put their logos and mascots on their helmets. But the great old leather helmet was spared much of this “clutter” as it’s days faded into history before 1950.

I was hoping for some serious questions from those that really wanted to know, and some information from those that really know and understand.

how about this. If you played a position professionally, in college, or enough in HS to know what you're talking about, or coach..........Please explain the basics of your position, and fundamental responsibilities.

That's pretty cool, about the helmets.

And I have never, ever played a down of football in my entire life. I'm an unabashed ignoramus.

Oh goody!
 

I have always wanted to ask this, but was scared to.

What are those orange sticks those guys are holding? They keep getting closer together and then farther apart. At their farthest part it seems like they're maybe, 10 yards apart? (I'm not a good judge of distance so that is an estimation). OH, and when that dude in the stripes seems to make a motion with his arm, then they get to their farthest point.

That has always been confusing to me - can anybody help me out here?

Thanks in advance.

Yo Iowa,

Is this another Chiefsplanet experiment kinda thing?

ct
a bit suspicious now

Okay. I've got one.

What is/are the primary difference(s) between a cornerback and a safety?

And WFT is a strong safety? Are there weak ones?

I've got a question:

Why the F@#$ can't somebody beat the damn Patriots?

To play a cover 2 (almost every f-ing down like '03), do you have to have better safeties than Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley?

Safeties...
 

They have the full and unconditional might of the Russian Empire behind them.

What is the meaning of life?

But that has been covert and top secret until just recently. Now that they are 'outed', perhaps all of us 'real' patriots will rise up and squash those commie lovers!

Perhaps a Salary Cap 101 would be helpful to many.

As to CB Vs S...
 

42?

Thank you Gaz. I just found a Football For Dummies site that goes over all this. I can't believe I never looked before.

I know you're being a wiseguy too, but there might be someone who doesn't know....

The Two orange poles, connected by a 10 yard chain are the first down chains. The first one marks the point of beginning at 1st down, while the 2nd marks 10 yards and the point the offense must get to receive a first down. The post, which also has the Down # on it, is the Ball marker, and moves to mark the yard line of the balls location(after a sack, it could be several yards behind the 10 yards for ex.

Many of the down markers are now made in Kansas City in the garages of some local makers of "dialadown"...one of which is a relative of mine.

When the Offense of KC passes the first down marker, you're bound to see a Planet Member in a cape and a helmet Hair do an odd lipped shake as they say "1st down"

http://football.about.com/cs/footbal...l_101downs.htm

I have a couple questions. One might be unanswerable at this point in time, but the other should be fine. The first relates to our defense and specifically to a question I posted earlier this week.

The first is how exactly is the whole Right LB and Left LB going to/already does work for us? How does Gun really manage his LBs? For example, if Bell and DJ are the two starting OLBs, will they usually be staying on their respective sides or will they move around a lot? Would DJ usually move over and to the strong side over the TE and Bell over to the weakside where he can come off the edge easier? Or will they usually keep the LB on his respective side. This may be impossible to answer since they haven't actually lined up at all yet, but I am also wondering in more general terms about Gun's tendencies. I think Keg told me in the other thread that Gun will usually move them to where ever they can best take advantage of matchups, but I never really requested for him to flesh that anymore.

The other question is about the 46 defense the Ravens going to be employing. The way I understand is that you only have two LBs with five guys on the line with another safety playing up close to the LoS similar to an LB? Are the CBs just basically on an island? What are the linemen's responsibilities? I have quite a few articles about the Ravens making the switch, but they never really fully explain how the 46 defense works out. They are always talking about how it will effect/what a specific player's, usually Ray Lewis, role will be.

http://football.about.com/od/football101/

I didn't think this was a far fetched idea...and there are multiple sites with information available.

Some of you more freaky types could probably dress up in drag and take the class that Tony Gonzalez teaches the ladies during the season.

46 D...
 

No alterior motives at all. I thought it was slow, not much happening, and a poster mentioned that they were afraid to participate or ask questions for fear of ridicule. I'll not make fun of anyone for really wanting to Know something they don't understand.

I think any legit football question on this thread should get a free pass from further harrassment in the future.

I know some of you know alot more than I do, and I know I know more than some. We can help each other understand things that maybe we don't. Simple to Complex.

I kind of understand, but not fully enough to Explain it.

Could someone explain the difference in the DT techniques. What are a 1,2 and 3 technique DT, and what makes 1 player more suited for 1 and a failure at another?

From the Bucs website

What is the one-technique and three-technique used by defensive tackles?

Answer Man: “How much time have you got?”

That’s not what I’m saying to you, John. That’s what Marinelli said to me when I posed your question. Having just seen Marinelli spend an extra 30 minutes on a blazing-hot practice field hashing over the most minute details of the defense with Monte Kiffin, the Answer Man was a little worried about what that meant.

Fortunately, we talked Marinelli, a certified D-Line genius, into the short version…and we’d like to add in here that Marinelli’s relaxed patience with a neophyte is yet another reason to admire the man.

Anyway, the first thing you need to know, given the wording of your question, is that the terms ‘one-technique’ and ‘three-technique’ are usually used in regards to the type of player a guy is, not a specific technique he uses. In other words, a coach isn’t going to say, “I want you to use a three-technique on the guard,” but he might say, “Anthony McFarland is going to be very productive in the three-technique this year.”

Here’s Marinelli on those two types of players:

“A three-technique is more of a high-energy, high-motor, explosive player who is going to get one-on-one pass-rush a lot more. He’s a penetrator. He’s got to be the disruptor; he’s got to create some havoc. The one-technique is usually to the bubble and he’s going to get the heavy run game, the heavy double-team, all those doubles coming off with the power running game.”

Or, to put it another way, a one-technique is a nose tackle and a three-technique is an under tackle.

Okay, I kind of knew that. Maybe you did too, John. What Answer Man didn’t know was from where the terms came. Why would an under-tackle also be referred to as a three-technique? Turns out it’s all part of a code, and Marinelli cracked it for us.

Imagine you’re facing the center and the guard to his right. The center’s right shoulder is referred to as ‘one.’ The guard’s right, or outside, shoulder is referred to as ‘three,” and so on down the line. The under tackle will often be trying to penetrate off that guard’s ‘three’ shoulder, or through the B gap. Thus, three-technique.

By the way, straight up on that guard would be ‘two’ and his inside shoulder would be ‘two-I.’ And you thought it was all just see quarterback, chase quarterback!

Hope that helps.

I'll take a stab at this, but someone smart may correct me. Traditionally the SSLB would line up on the TE side of the ball, with the thinking that the TE will be run-blocking. Offenses these days use so many different formations, that it's hard to determine anything solely from the way the offense lines up. With pass catching TEs, motion, and other factors, it's just not as easy to get your SLB in the right place. Instead of trying to guess, and having your LBs switching around following the motion, KC has decided that leaving the LBs where they are will lead to them getting the favorable matchup 50% of the time anyway.

As far as the 46, a lot of pressure will be put on the CBs, and while BAL has good corners, I don't expect the 46 to work like it did in the past. The passing game is too prolific, and will expose the weaknesses of the 46. IMO.

Thats pretty close to how I would explain it JSP. Traditional SAM and Wil determine which side of the formation they'll be on, based on where the TE lines up(left or right) and often switch if the TE goes in Motion. In the Chiefs base defense under Gunther the LBs will play either the Right or Left Side, and normally will make adjustments to assignments based on the Offensive formation. It lets the Defense somewhat dictate to the Offense, instead of the Defense reacting to everything the Offense does.

What does that mean? If Kendrell Bell is on the rlb position, and crowds the line behind the DE, the Offense has to make adjustments to the blocking calls to pick up what they would assume would be him Blitzing...Where as, with a Bell Blitz called, and a TE motioning to His side, the Defense can adjust coverage to the TE with another player(safety), or the LLB could Blitz instead, or pick up the Back responsibility(run or coverage in the flat).

This might be a good spot for a definition:
When comentators or posters talk about "the front 7" they are talking about the Defensive Linemen and Linebackers. 3 DL and 4lbs in a 3-4, and 4 DLine and 3lbs in a 4-3.

I think even in Marty's days we didn't play SLB/WLB, but have always played the LB on a side of the field regardless of formation or motions. How often was DT on the left? Only a very rare stunting blitz play would DT be rushing around Neil Smith.

Hey, I'm 42. Does that mean I've found the answer?

http://www.answers.com/topic/america...ensive-schemes

I was going to try to start a discussion on basic pass coverages....man, zone, press, cover 2, but this site explains it pretty well.

"Basic pass coverage
Even in obvious running situations, the defense must be able to account for the eligible receivers on offense. There are two general schemes for defending against the pass:

Man-to-man, where each eligible receiver is covered by a defensive back or a linebacker.
Zone, where each linebacker and defensive back is assigned an area on the field which they are to cover.
In most cases, man-to-man coverage is more effective against short passes, while zone coverage is effective against long passes.


Advanced pass coverage
To create a shorthand, most defensive schemes use the term "cover" (for pass coverage) and a number to describe a combination of schemes. As in American Football there are only five eligible pass receivers on a given play (technically the quarterback is also an eligible receiver, but passes to the quarterback, though known, are rare) while there are at least seven pass defenders in 3-4 alignment in man-to-man defence, some of the pass coverage personnel may either blitz (cross the line of scrimmage with the down linemen in an attempt to sack the quarterback), provide double coverage on a receiver, or help other defensive players with the pass coverage. In zone coverage, all defensive linebackers and backs have a pass coverage assignment.

Cover Zero - Strict man-to-man coverage with no help from free safeties (usually a blitz play with at least five men crossing the line of scrimmage)
Cover One - Man-to-man coverage with at least one safety not assigned a player to cover who can help out on deep pass routes.
Cover Two - Zone coverage with the safeties playing deep and covering half the field each.
Cover Three - Zone coverage as above, only with extra help from a cornerback, so that each player covers one-third of a deep zone.
Cover Four - As above, with the corners and safeties dropping into deep coverage, with each taking one-fourth of the width of the field.
Generally speaking, the effectiveness of a defense against short passes and the run drops as it goes from Cover Zero to Cover Four, but their effectiveness against deep passes increases."

Salary Cap 101
By Ron Del Duca

HOW TO COMPUTE A SALARY CAP NUMBER

The football fan is constantly bombarded with the phrases such as 'salary cap' and 'cap number.' Unlike most people, you, the reader of these columns, know that these phrases have nothing to do with hats. Incident to my ongoing objective to help you better understand the business side of the NFL, the following is a summary of the nuances of how a player's Salary cap number is computed.

SIGNING BONUSES

Signing bonuses and any amounts treated as signing bonuses are prorated equally over the length of the player's contract for purposes of calculating the player's salary cap number. For example, if a $5 million signing bonus is paid on a five-year contract, the signing bonus will count $1 million annually against the team salary for each of the five years even though the player receives the full $5 million in the first year. The amount of the signing bonus is simply divided by the number of contract years. Note, however, if a player is released or retires before the end of the contract period, the general rule is that the remaining portion of the salary cap is accelerated so that the entire remaining portion of the bonus amount is recognized against the team's salary in the year the player's employment terminates.

RENEGOTIATION / SIGNING BONUSES

If a signing bonus is given in conjunction with a renegotiation and/or extension of a previously existing contract, the new signing bonus is
prorated over the length of the new contract years, including the year that the renegotiation takes place. For example, if a player was signed to a two-year contract for 1998 and 1999 and then receives a new signing bonus in 1999 in exchange for adding two additional years (2000-2001) to the contract, then the new signing bonus is prorated (one-third in each year) equally over 1999, 2000 and 2001, not just in 2000 and 2001.

PARAGRAPH SALARY

A player's paragraph 5 salary ('base salary') is always counted against team salary in full in the year that it is earned. If a player is scheduled to make a base salary of $500,000 in 2000, then all of the $500,000 counts against his team's salary cap that year.

LIKELY TO BE EARNED (LTBE)

Other amounts players earn count against the salary cap only if they are likely to be earned ('LTBE'). These other amounts include, but are not limited to, performance and honors incentives, roster bonuses, reporting bonuses and off-season workout bonuses.

As noted in my previous column of July 14, 1999, to determine whether a performance or honor incentive is LTBE for veteran players, you need to examine the player's and/or team's prior year on-field performance. If a running back will earn a $100,000 incentive if he has 1,000 rushing yards in 2000, his 1999 performance must be analyzed to determine if the incentive is LTBE for 2000 and counts against his team's 2000 salary cap. If the player rushed for 1,000 or more yards in 1999 then the incentive is LTBE in 2000 (counts against the 2000 salary cap). If the player rushed for less than 1,000 yards in 1999 then the incentive is not likely to be earned (NLTBE) and does not count against the salary cap in 2000. The same rule applies for any team incentives that are negotiated. Note there are some exceptions to these basic rules.

Per the CBA, there are different sets of incentives for rookies in the NFL (see my previous article dated July 21, 1999). For example, an incentive for a third round wide receiver that entitles the player to $10,000 if he has 6 Receiving Touchdowns would count $6,666 against the team's Entering Player Pool and overall team salary cap via the rookie incentive chart contained in the CBA.

ROSTER BONUSES

Roster bonuses are treated in a manner very similar to performance bonuses. For veterans, the player's prior year is examined to determine to what extent a roster bonus is LTBE for the current league year. For example, if a player was a member of the 53 man roster for 14 games in 1999 and has a roster bonus for $50,000 if he is a member of the 53 man roster for the same or fewer amount of games in 2000, then the full $50,000 is LTBE in 2000 and counts against the salary cap. If the bonus is written for being on the roster for a greater number of games then the bonus is NLTBE in 2000. However, unlike performance incentives, NLTBE roster bonuses will count against a team's salary cap immediately once it is actually earned by the player.

For rookies, the chart noted in the CBA is utilized; generally a regular season roster bonus that a drafted player receives if he makes the team will count 100% against the team salary cap in the contract year in which it is earned while undrafted players' roster bonuses count only 30% (of the total bonus amount) against the salary cap.

Regardless if the player is a veteran or rookie, any roster bonus that is guaranteed is treated as a signing bonus and thus prorated equally over the length of the contract for salary cap purposes.

REPORTING BONUSES

All non-guaranteed reporting bonuses are LTBE and count in full against team salary in the year they are earned. This is true for both veterans and rookies. If a reporting bonus is guaranteed, then it is treated as a signing bonus and prorated equally over the length of the contract for salary cap purposes.

WORKOUT BONUSES

Workout bonuses are automatically LTBE and count in full against team salary in the year they are earned. If the workout bonus is guaranteed, then it is treated as a signing bonus and prorated equally over the length of the contract for salary cap purposes.

EXAMPLES

Compute the salary cap number for the following three players.

Example 1:

Rookie Player A

2000 Base: $400,000
Signing Bonus: $2,000,000 (5 year deal)
2000 Reporting Bonus: $500,000
2000 Workout Bonus: $50,000
Answer: Cap Number = $1,350,000
($400k base + $400k sign bonus proration (2 million - 5 yrs) + $500k rpt bonus + $50k w/o bonus = $1.35m)


Example 2:

Veteran Player B
2000 Base: $600,000
Signing bonus: $1,800,000 (3-year deal signed in 1999)
2000 Roster bonus: $200,000 (Note: was on team's roster for all of 1999)
2000 LTBE's: $150,000
Answer: Cap Number = $1,550,000

($600k base + $600k signing bonus proration (1.8 million — 3 yrs) + $200k roster bonus + $150k LTBE's = $1.55M)

Note: If the roster or reporting bonuses were guaranteed they would be treated as signing bonus and the results would be different (i.e., they would be prorated over the term of the contracts).

Example 3

Assume player B renegotiates his contract prior to the start of the 2000 season and
(a) receives a new $1,000,000 sign bonus,
(b) extends the original contract for two additional years, and
(c) lowers his 2000 base salary to $200,000.

What is his new 2000 cap number?
Answer: $1,400,000
($200k new base + $600k old sign bonus proration + $250k new sign bonus proration ($1,000,000 — 4 yrs. (2000-2004)) + $200k rost + $150k LTBE's = $1.4m)


Note: In a renegotiation the old signing bonus proration does not change.

As the reader now realizes, the astute Contract Advisor, in order to better represent his clients, has to be able to not only understand the salary cap rules but also be able to perform the actual calculations to determine the salary cap ramifications of any contract terms he proposes.

If you had found the answer, you wouldn't be asking. Now would you? :hmmm:

Unless we're talking about the Chiefs, where a safety may line up at any number of defensive positions and back up roles.

And the only thing I don't "get" is QB rating. I've had it explained to me but WHY they use the system they do to get QB rating mystifies me...

Not that anyone cares, but I feel the English metric system is stupid.

12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
5,218 feet = 1 mile

Huh?

But even more athanine is a perfect score of 152.3 (or some equally idiotic figure close by).

WTF?

That makes no sense. :shake: Inches, feet, stc. are a product of the American measuring system, not the superior metric system. Also, athanine isn't close to being a word. You're probably looking for "asinine."

g0 back to elementary sk00l, am I rite, lolomg!?!1 :)

Since we're grading Cory's SAT's now, I thought I'd Point out that 1 Mile= 5280'.

Now.......Who can get this back on track with some information about Offense issues? what are some of the questions people have about Offense? Routes? Blocking schemes? Check down and what that means?

Kinda the point.
Keep reading re: "athanine", you'll figure it out.

Well damn, that just clears it all up, thanks Iowa! :)

I gotta little time crunch with my next batch of meth, can somebody help me out? What's that conversion thing again, how many ounces in a liter?

You're welcome little buddy. I'm always happy to help, even though I failed math a time or two in mah schule kareer.

B.S. Mathematics - Wichita State - '97
and forgotten just damn near all of it since!

I don't quite want to let this go yet....

Quarterbacks.
I thought it might be beneficial to some, to explain some of the basics and terminology.

3 step drop..5 step drop...7 step drop
check down
audible

An Audible...is when at the line, the Quarterback analyses the defensive set, and makes a change or adjustment to the Offensive called play, based on what he's seeing. EX. He has a run over the left guard called, and sees the SS and OLB coming up to blitz...He may Audible for a quick formation shift, which could change the direction of the play, or Run a quick Slant pattern to that side behind the blitz.

(I'm no QB but will do my best as I understand it)

The 3,5,7 step drops refer to how many steps back the quarterback takes from the center once he gets the ball. The Number of steps is associated with the timing of the play. For example, a 3 step drop is likely to be a slant pattern under the LB or CB or possibly a quick screen.....where as a 7 step drop, allows more time for the deeper routes to develop, and gives the QB a wider Cone View of the field.

That is basically correct. There's also the shotgun formation, where the Quarterback lines up a distance of usually 5 yards or more behind the Center away from the line of scrimmage. Thus when the ball is snapped, it must be thrown through the air between the Center's legs to the Quarterback in order for the Quarterback to receive the ball for play to begin. The advantage of this position is that it is safer for the Quarterback, because he is less likely to be sacked and is usually used for passing plays, such as a Hail Mary. It generally has two or more Wide Receivers at the far ends of the line of scrimmage. The disadvantage of this position is that there is a greater chance due to the ball being snapped from the Center to the Quarterback, that the ball might be fumbled or a high snap over the Quarterback's head.

The shotgun formation got its name after it was used by a professional football club, the San Francisco 49ers, in 1960. It was said to be like a "shotgun" in spraying receivers around the field like a scatter-shot gun.

I didn't discuss Checkdown.

Typically, by my understanding of the terminology, the Checkdown is a quarterback's route progression on a given play. The play may be designed so as the QB is looking for the Xwr on a flag route, and if he is covered, will look for say the TE on a Seam Route, and then maybe the Slot WR on an 1o yard out.....and the last option a pass to the FB in the flat, hoping for at least positive yardage.

I thought that the corners in a 46 almost always played man to man coverage.

The SS lines up on the line with the 4 down linemen and the SLB.
You then have each corner paired with a receiver, and the FS back towards the middle.

Nice work there. Many teams had had trouble with Buddy Ryan's 46 (Or called Double Eagle Defense). It's also difficult to double-read when 3 rushers are working together. So any plays that have both backs (FB's and RB's) going to the same side usually encounter an unblocked backside LB. So scoop blocks (Think of like scooping an ice cream) are required to get full-flow plays started. It's also possible when defenders are playing into the gaps.

One several ways to beat the 46 on the ground is the naked-bootleg, it might be possible to pull the outside split end side defender upfield with the naked fake and get a cutback play outside the backside tackle and guard. Also the sprint-draw play works well when the FB can block to the side of the initial fake, and the RB can run all the way back to the other side on a backwards scoop block. The standard counter plays (i.e. counter sweeps, counter option, etc) Finally, a simple FB trap can do some damage as well.

One of the ways to pass-protect a dropback passer would to assign one tackle to a LB and tell him to help to the inside if the LB does not come. Double-reading must be employed if possible. The problem is to do it with two pass blockers aganist 3 defenders. So if the TE splits, so that it forces that one defender to go with him, then the double-read can be executed.

Here is a nice link, provided by another poster that should help explain some defensive questions/basics/concepts.

http://www.letstalkdefense.com/defensiveschemes.html
http://www.letstalkdefense.com/43defense.html

luv2write....this might be what you need.

Is the triple option officially dead?

The Raiders are likely to try it again this season, with such a mobile and indefensible offense.........though they would only be showing off, since they've already scored 89 points in the first half and Kerry Collins is so mobile.

This reminded me of something I noticed at the game Sat night that I've never noticed before in person or on TV.

During the first half, on the Chiefs side of the field the first marker was always left where the initial line of scrimage was when the series started. If Dante returned it to the 27, then the first marker stayed at the 27 until AZ got the ball and then it would stay at that point until... you get the point. Then when the second half started this process was repeated on the visitor side of the field.

I think this helps make it clear why in some cases the chain gang brings the sticks/chains all the way across the field to measure.

This thread is much appreciated! Thanks!

i played defense tackle, nose guard, and once got to be line backer in pratice, my coach how ever did not like me very well so all of my football storys end at pratice, i quit my last year and havent played since. in 3 years of playing football i got hardly any field time. when i did get playing time i got penaltys for unnessary ruffness on the QB (witch is bull shit that was my job) got some holding calls too but i though he had the ball and i wasnt gonna let him go

welcome to the Board mr Siavii.

ROFL

There has been some whining about no football threads.

Here is your chance.

There has been alot of speculation that the Chiefs Defense will be switching to the Cover 2 Defense.

Maybe we could discuss what that entails and why it requires some different personell.

Let's discuss how about 80% of our personel is wrong for a cover 2........

Please elaborate for the class.

Safety speed is an issue for sure.

Jared Allen, Kawika Mitchell, Derrick Johnson, those 3 starters fit a cover 2. After that I'm really questionable on if any of the other guys do. I'm sure Surtain can play it but it isn't his strength and now his contract seems really out of hand for a defense that isn't defined by great corner play.

I don't like either safety for it, I don't like any of our lineman other than Allen for basically any defense. The positive to this is, is atleast we're changing defenses when the majority of the players need to be replaced anyway.

How much does a football weigh?

I think if they can at least let Surtain start getting in peoples faces and bumping them off the line instead of playing 8 yards off, which bumping is allowed in the cover 2, could make him worth while.

Our DL is an issue no matter what D we play, Allen has proved the only guy on that line who can make a play.

As far as Safety, well, we all know what we have there. With any luck Woods will be released after June 1st, and hopefully we can pick up a starter in the draft.

Bell was crap last year, but who knows, we may end up playing some more 3 4 this year, which I think could lead to some interesting play from out LB's.

Either way, I believe we will still mix up our D's some.

We have to get another corner who has some kind of playmaking ability or teams are just going to avoid Surtain all year.

Maybe you can expand on this and tell why some players or types of players work better in this defense than others. educate us.

Alright..........

Cover 2 is all about speed and pass rush. Big hulking DT/DE's have no place in a cover 2 defense. Cover 2 defenses are generally undersized but blazingly fast. DT's like, I'll use this years draft as an example, Broderick Bunkley would be a better fit for a cover 2 than Haloti Ngata. The job of the entire line is to penetrate and create pressure, which is why cover 2's can be exploited in the run game.

The coverage of a cover 2 is a base zone where the corners up are tight and play short zones while the safeties are responsible for over the top/deep coverage. If you run the "Tampa 2" version of it the MLB also needs to have excellent speed as in numerous coverage he will drop 20-30 yards straight back in coverage to take away the deep middle.

Thats the type of thing I'm looking for in a thread like this....information and examples that those who want to learn about, can understand.

It seems to me that Ron Edwards, the DT brought in from Buffalo fits your agenda for a Cover 2 DT.

Woods has no place in cover 2 and I don't know that Wesley does either. The Chiefs have got to improve the FS position for sure, and aquire another Corner. Because of the Short zones and physical play required by the corners....this is another reason that a big corner like Walls, may be a solid pickup imo.

Edwards does fit into this defense so that was a nice pickup. Problem is that he and Dalton should be the 3-4 tackles so we need the 1-2.

Personally I think Lenny Walls could be a pretty good FS in this defense. Draft Cromartie in the first, put him and Surtain out there at CB, move Walls back to FS, cut Wesley and Woods, then hopefully pick up a SS in the 3rd to compete with Knight and take over next year.

Or any other defense for that matter! :)

I've got a question.

I've never understood the discrepencies between chop blocks and real blocks. Many times I see Trent Green go out for a block and get down low as to trip the defensive player. Then what about chop blocks? Isn't that what Trent Green just did was a chop block?

Also, what cheating system did Alex Gibbs use before and how has he changed his blocking schemes to make them legal?

Also someone explain the finer details of false starts. Like in the Al Saunders offense where there are two people doing two different things at once before the ball is snapped... I thought that was illegal to have two men in motion at once? How/why can they do that and why is it sometimes called and others it is not?

SNR,

The difference, and what makes the block illegal....Its not illegal to hit someone low. It is illegal to cut someone when they are engaged high...ex...Guard is standing up with DT....Center cuts his legs while he's engaged.

thats illegal.

That technique was pretty common in Gibbs' Zone blocking offenses.

A lineman can cut a DT low, but has to make contract first I believe....hands to shoulder pads, then drop and cut low.

I think thats the basics.


As for the 2 players in motion....that is illegal, if the QB has Set the formation...After that point, only 1 player can be in motion at one time, and it can't be going forward. Prior to the QB setting the line, they can adjust the formation however they choose.

Like Iownanian said, it is illegal if the player is already engaged. In the college book a chop block is defined by a delay of one second or more. In other words, if a player contacts the defensive player high and then a second or more later another offensive player takes him out low, that is a chop block and illegal due to its dangerous nature.

All 11 offensive players must come set for one full second. Once that has happened it is legal for one player to go in motion away from the line of scrimmage and to snap the ball. If two or more players go in motion, all 11 players must again set for one full second before the snap. Two players can never be in motion at the snap nor can two players go in motion and one stop and the other stay in motion. They must both stop and reset before the snap or you will have an illegal shift.

Not real happy with the clarity of my answer but I would be glad to try again if you like.

I was asked about this thread earlier, and going into the draft week, it might be something that can help some newer fans understand some of the "why" some players are better fits for some teams than others.

tank yew iowa. i well rede this and well git vury smart about the fottbal.
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welcome skinseck, you make sexy hand party spinkterboy hoooooooooock.

I love this thread.

So what's the answer to the whole NT vs. 3T in a two-gap defense thing?

I might have seen a movie about this.

FAX

Ah. Most excellent.