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Football Terminology
Last updated on December
28, 2006 Ever wonder what it is that the TV Announcers and other people are referring to when they are talking football? Learn all the football and NFL lingo here.
You can also search this entire
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+ abbreviation for yards gained - abbreviation for yards lost % ATTAn acronym for Percentage of Attempts - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports % AVERAGE THROW The average distance between the line of scrimmage and the intended receiver on pass attempts. % INC An acronym for Percentage of Incompletions - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 0-9 n-m defense a defense with n down linemen and m linebackers, such as:
1Ds abbreviation for first downs (found in STAT records) 1st An acronym for First Down - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 1st % An acronym for First Down Percentage - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 12th MAN See Twelth Man 2PT abbreviation for 2 point conversions (found in STAT records) 2 POINT CONVERSION: See Two Point Conversion 3 AND OUT See Three And Out
3-4 DEFENSE a
basic defensive
formation
that is used by several NFL teams. Bud
Wilkenson
devised the alignment at the
You have two defensive ends (DE), one on each end of the line, and one nose tackle (NT) in between. Right behind the defensive line are four linebackers (LB). At times, one or more of the linebackers will line up on the line of scrimmage. Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact positioning of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. The 3-4 Eagle defense evolved from Buddy Ryan's 46 defense and Fritz Shurmur first unveiled it with the Los Angeles Rams in the early 1980s. The alignment is basically the same as a normal 3-4, but a linebacker is inserted in the nose tackle's spot, leaving the formation with just two linemen and five linebackers.
In this formation, you have just two defensive linemen on the field, normally defensive tackles (DT). In the middle of the line, where the nose tackle would normally be, is a linebacker (LB). Two more linebackers line up as ends, outside the defensive tackles. The last two linebackers line up behind the defensive line. Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact positioning of the defensive backs(cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 3 POINT STANCE: See three Point Stance 33 STACK See 3-3-5 DEFENSE 3 YARDS AND A CLOUD OF DUST See Power Football
4-3 DEFENSE a defensive formation with 4 linemen and 3 linebackers. Several variations are employed. First used by coach Joe Kuharich. The 4-3 defense is a basic defensive formation that is widely used today. The alignment features four down lineman and three linebackers in the front seven, thus the name 4-3.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 4-3 DEfENSE OVER/UNDER See Over/Under 4-3 Defense The 4-4 defense is a basic defensive formation in the game of football. The alignment features four down lineman and four linebackers, thus the name 4-4.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There is just one safety. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safety) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in.
46 DEFENSE (pronounced forty-six defense) a formation of the 4-3 defense (four linemen and three linebackers) in which three defensive backs(the two cornerbacks and the strong safety) crowd the line of scrimmage. The remaining safety, which is the free safety, stays in the backfield. It is also known as the "Bear" defense because it was popularized by Buddy Ryan while coaching for the Chicago Bears. The 46 Defense designed by Buddy Ryan at the Chicago Bears and named after the jersey number of Doug Plank, generally it has more than the normal number of pass rushers and the pass defenders are in man pass coverage 49ERS See San Francisco 49ers 4 LOSS abbreviation for tackles for losses (found in STAT records)
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties.
The exact position of
the defensive
backs
(cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they
are in. The 6-1 defense is a variation of the 4-3 formation. The alignment features four downed linemen and three linebackers in the front seven, but two linebackers move up on the defensive line, putting a total of six defenders on the line. If you take a look at the illustration on the right, you will see a diagram outlining the 6-1 defense. The Os in the diagram represent offensive players while the Xs represent the placement of the defensive players.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 8 IN THE BOX See Eight In The Box
A/G abbreviation for assists per game (found in STAT records)
A acronym
for 1. A GAP
This formation has gained popularity in the NFL as teams have started trading out a fullback, or blocking back, in favor of another wide receiver or tight end who is usually faster and better able to receive the ball, while still helping the run game with down-field blocks. The effectiveness of the formation is further increased if the team has athletic tight ends with good hands, thereby increasing the versatility of the formation. It is, moreover, good for bootlegs and reverses. Single-back offenses have gained popularity due to zone blocking and advanced defenses. There are several combinations of single back formations that are used in Division 1 and NFL football. Speed offenses will use single back because the defense still has to respect the run out of these formations since you can line up many tight ends and still have a down field running game. Single back offenses create match-up problems in the defense. Linebackers will often have to cover receivers in passing routes while defensive safeties are used more to come up and stop the run on the line of scrimmage. Teams that run a single-back offense typically rely on quick receivers that run great routes, balanced tight ends (blocking/receiving), intelligent, shifty running backs, fast and intelligent offensive lineman, and a quarterback that can read defenses and make safe throws under pressure. Single-back offenses are more common in the NFL than in college or high school. ADJUSTMENT change in the approach of a team or player during a game as a result of less than satisfactory success with the original approach; also changing defensive alignment in response to offensive shifts or motions; the ability to make during-game adjustments is a must for all football coaches; many who do well in the first half but not the second are manifesting an inability to make appropriate adjustments definition ADP acronym for Average Draft Position (fantasy football term) AFL An acronym for either the American Football League or the Arena Football League.
The AFL (Arena
Football League) is similar to the NFL, but is played
indoors on a smaller field.
The AFC currently consists of 16 teams, organized into four divisions (North, South, East, and West) of four teams each. Each team plays the other teams in their division twice (home & away) during the regular season in addition to 10 other games/teams assigned to their schedule by the NFL the previous May. Two of these games are assigned on the basis of the team's final record in the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions. This assignment shifts each year. For instance, in the 2005 regular season, each team in the NFC East will play a game apiece against each team in both the AFC West and the NFC West. In this way division competition consists of common opponents, with the exception of the 2 games assigned on the strength of each team's prior season record. The NFC operates according to the same system. At the end of each football season, there are playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC (the four division champions by place standing and the top two remaining non-division-champion teams ("wildcards") by record). The last two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game with the winner receiving the Lamar Hunt Trophy. The AFC champion plays the NFC champion in the Super Bowl.
It began in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The AFC was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-Baltimore Colts, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Playoff Structure For more details on this topic, see NFL playoffs. At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game.
AGILLITIES
short for agility drills; drills commonly used by
position coaches during the 10- to 20-minute position-coach period at
the beginning of most football practices; the theory behind them is
that agility is a desirable football skill and agility drills make
players more agile; I do not believe the drills make players better
at football to any significant degree; rather, they make the players
better at doing the agility drill in question; I would appreciate
hearing about any scientific study that proves any football agility
drill pays a game-day dividend worth the practice time it takes; I
suspect the real reasons for the widespread use of agility drills are
they fill practice time and look footballish, that's the way it's
always been done, the logic that agility drills increase agility
seems correct, a number of companies make and/or sell products for
agility drills and therefore have financial incentive to encourage
belief in their efficacy, many coaches are afraid to deviate from
football group norms because it increases the probability they will
be blamed for losses; doing the same as every other coach enables
coaches to subtly blame the players for losses, e.g. "someone
needed to make a play but no one did;" I believe that agilities
should never be used and that the practice time saved is far better
spent on learning assignments, blocking techniques, practicing
reading defenders and throwing passes, option reads, and so forth;
carioca is an agility drill, as are running through tires (now ropes
or a ladder), running around large hoops on the ground, etc.; may be
the best you can do at the college level in the off-season when more
productive activities are prohibited by rule AIR CORYELL The "Air Coryell" Offense was originated by Don Coryell and adopted by his assistant coaches including Joe Gibbs, Jim Hanifan, and Ernie Zampese. The offense features a power running game similar to that of former University of Southern California head coach John McKay. What has made this offense popular is the ability to stretch the field vertically with the passing game and its numbered pass routes. The Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and the University of Maryland are among those who run this type of offense.
AIR RAID an
offensive philosophy derived from
the West Coast Offense but adapted to
the shotgun formation. In this offense
the running game is heavily de-emphasized while the quick pass,
medium pass, and screen game are highly developed.
The Akron Pros were a National
Football League team that played in The team started out in 1916 as the Akron Burkhardts, named after a local family of brewers that sponsored the team. As from 1917 the team competed as the Akron Pros. The Pros became a charter member of the NFL (then known as the American Professional Football Association) in 1920 and won the first ever league title.
Fritz Pollard,
the first African-American head coach in the NFL, co-coached the Pros
in 1921. In 1926, the name was changed to the Akron Indians, which
had been an earlier
ALL PRO An All Pro Player is any NFL player who has been selected and appeared in an NFL Pro Bowl Game.
The Arizona Cardinals American
football club is a Phoenix, Arizona-based National Football League
team. In 2006, the club will move to the new Cardinals Stadium in the
suburb of
The Cardinals
are the oldest existing American football club in the After becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920, the club was renamed the Chicago Cardinals. In 1932, Charles W. Bidwill bought the Cardinals. The Bidwills still own the team. (Charles' son, William V. Bidwill, now operates the team.) Bidwill kept the team going through the Depression and World War II, and finally managed to put together a winning unit just as the war ended. Bidwill's building program produced a team that won the NFL championship in 1947. The Cardinals' 28-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1947 championship game still stands as the team's last playoff victory.
The Cardinals moved to The Cardinals have won NFL Championships in 1925 and 1947. But the team has not won a league title since then, and thus currently holds the record for the longest championship drought (period of not winning) in NFL history.
City:
Team Colors: Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach: Dennis Green
Helmet design:
White with a cardinal head Home fields Since 1920
Normal Field (1920-1921), (1926-1928) Sun Devil Stadium (1988-2005) * Cardinals Stadium (scheduled to open in 2006)
Each NFL team generally has assistant coaches for offense and defense, as well more specialized areas like quarterbacks and linebackers.
AST An acronym
for Assisted tackles
usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The advantage of AstroTurf turf over grass turf is quite evident: an artificial turf requires minimal maintenance. It is also ideal for indoor stadiums, since it does not require sunlight. However, an AstroTurf surface is much harder than one of natural grass. Players describe the impact as similar to falling on concrete (Vince Lombardi called AstroTurf "fuzzy cement"). Players' cleats can get caught in the turf, which does not give the way grass and dirt does, causing the injury known as "turf toe". AstroTurf turf is being replaced in many stadiums with newer types of artificial turf - two common brands of this new generation being FieldTurf and Sport Grass. These materials have properties much closer to natural grass turf. AstroTurf's version of this new artificial grass was called AstroPlay, but in 2004, Southwest Recreational Industries, who held the rights to making AstroTurf, went out of business after filing for bankruptcy. It is now sold by AstroTurf, LLC. AstroTurf is a registered trademark of Textile Management Associates, applied to a particular kind of artificial turf. AstroTurf turf was invented in 1965 by employees of Monsanto, patented in 1967, and originally sold under the name "Chemgrass." It was renamed AstroTurf after its first well-publicised use at the Houston Astrodome stadium.
The Atlanta Falcons American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: Jim L. Mora Team colors: Home jerseys are red and white with white letters and black trim. Away jerseys are white with black letters and red trim. Helmet design: Black with a black face mask and a red and black falcon logo with a grey and white border on both sides, which forms the shape of an F. Unofficial Nickname(s): "Dirty Birds" (The team's nickname during their 1998-99 NFC Championship season) Home fields:
ATS An acronym for Record Against The Spread
AUCTION DRAFT (fantasy football term) A type of fantasy draft in which owners are allotted a certain amount of fantasy cash to fill their roster spots by bidding on NFL players. Owners take turns introducing an opening bid for a player.
An audible is often called by the quarterback when he doesn't like the play call after getting a look at the defensive formation. Also known as Automatic AUTOMATIC: See audible
AVERAGE DRAFT POSITION (fantasy football term) A report that lists NFL players by the position they were drafted in fantasy football drafts on average. The source can be mock drafts or real ones. ADP is a useful draft preparation tool.
B acronym for Back Judge (Official)
A back generally lines up in the offensive backfield, but will occasionally split out as a receiver.
BACK JUDGE: (B or BJ) The official who sets up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the wide receiver side of the field. His duties include:
Click Here to see where The Back Judge is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge BACKUP A player who does not start the game, but comes in later in relief of a starter. BACKWARD PASS See Lateral Pass BADGERS See Milwaukee Badgers
BALL Click Here
A ball carrier is generally a running back, wide receiver, or quarterback, but can include any player that happens to legally end up with the football in his hands. In 1953, Carroll Rosenbloom became the principal owner of the new NFL Baltimore Colts. In 1958, coached by Hall of Famer Weeb Ewbank and led by Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts defeated the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium 23-17 in the NFL championship game, an overtime contest sometimes called "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
The original incarnation of the
Baltimore Colts started in the All-America Football Conference in
1946 as the Miami Seahawks. After a 3-11 season, they moved to
Due to financial difficulties after
the 1-11 losing season, Colts owner Abraham Watner gave his team and
its players contracts back to the NFL for $50,000. But many
Faced with the aforementioned
competitive difficulties and wanting a new stadium, team owner Robert
Irsay moved the team to Meanwhile, most of the prominent old-time former Baltimore Colts players disassociated themselves from the team, and instead started to attend events of the Baltimore Ravens team that began play in 1996.
Many
The Baltimore Ravens American
football club is a National Football League team based in
The history of the Baltimore Ravens
is unusual due to the unprecedented actions taken by the cities of
Baltimore and For that reason, past records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. For more information on the move, see Cleveland Browns
However, some consider the Ravens
and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continuous entity, using
the term The Modell Franchise to denote it. Also, many
City: Head Coach: Brian Billick Team Colors: Black, Purple, and Metallic Gold Uniform colors: Black, Purple, Metallic Gold, and White. (The primary home uniform is a purple jersey and white pants. Traditional away gear (also worn at home during late summer day games, but mostly on the road, are white jersies and white pants. In 2004, the team introduced an alternate attire of black jersey and black pants for select prime-time national game broadcasts.)
Helmet design:
A black helmet with a purple and black raven's head in profile, with
the letter "B" superimposed in metallic gold and white.
Purple "talons" rise up from the facemask up the center of
the helmet. Home fields
Memorial Stadium (
Blue for NFL BEARS See Chicago Bears BEAT: when a player gets past an opponent trying to block or tackle him. BENGALS See Cincinnati Bengals
Big An acronym for Big Plays - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
See I Formation BIG BLUE See New York Giants BIG PASS PLAY Any pass completion that gains 25 or more yards. BIG RUNNING PLAY Any running play that gains 10 or more yards. BILLS See Buffalo Bills
BIRDS See Philadelphia Eagles BJ acronym for Back Judge (Official)
BK An acronym
for Blocked kicks
(both punts and field goals attempts)
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
A defensive strategy in which a linebacker or defensive back vacates his normal responsibilities in order to pressure the quarterback. The object of a blitz is to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage or force the quarterback to hurry his pass. When a defensive line is having trouble putting pressure on the quarterback, the defensive coordinator may decide to help them out by sending one or more linebackers or defensive backs on a blitz. The most common blitzes are linebacker blitzes. Safety blitzes, when a safety (usually the free safety) is sent, and corner blitzes, where a cornerback is sent, are less common. Sending a defensive back on a blitz is even more risky than a linebacker blitz, as it removes a primary pass defender from the coverage scheme, but is also less likely to be picked up by the offensive teams blockers.
History of The Blitz Don Ettinger, a defensive tackles for the New York Giants, invented the blitz during his brief NFL career (1948 - 1950). Larry Wilson, free safety for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1960 to 1972, pioneered and perfected the safety blitz, a play originally code-named "Wildcat". Defensive coordinator Chuck Drulis is widely credited with inventing the safety blitz. Also known as quarterback rush or red dogging. Related Terms: Zone Blitz BLITZ EFFICIENCY Measures the defensive effectiveness of the blitz. To figure this rating add the number of sacks, stuffs, poor throws, quarterback knockdowns, batted passes, passes thrown away, passes caught out of bounds, and passes dropped as a result of miscommunication between receiver and quarterback generated by a team's defense, then divide by total number of blitzes. BLK An acronym for Blocked - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
Referee signal: both hands brought down, wrists turned inward, in a chopping motion across the front of the thighs. BLOCKING SLED a heavy piece of practice equipment, usually a padded angular frame on metal skids, used for developing strength and blocking techniques BOB IRSAY See Irsay, Robert
A bootleg is often used against a defense that is overpursuing the ball carrier. See Bootleg Play
The quarterback can be accompanied by an offensive lineman to block for him, or run without a blocker, which is known as a naked bootleg. More complex versions involve multiple offensive linemen moving with the quarterback to block and multiple false hand offs; one such variation is known as a rollout. After escaping the area behind the offensive line, the quarterback may either throw a pass downfield or run with the ball himself to gain yards. A bootleg is called to confuse the defense, by moving the quarterback away from where they expect him to be, directly behind the center. The quarterback's motion may also attract the attention of the defensive backs, allowing one of the receivers to become uncovered. The play is typically used by teams with mobile, or fast, quarterbacks, such as Michael Vick, Steve Young, and Randall Cunningham. The names comes from the fact that on a play action the quarterback often hides the ball from the defense by his thigh to make the run look more convincing. This is similar to the way bootleggers would hide whiskey in their trousers during prohibition. BOLTS See San Diago Chargers
In college football, bowl games are played in leiu of a playoff system such as the NFL uses. There are numerous bowl games every year, and a national champion is crowned by matching up the No.1 and No.2 ranked teams in a championship bowl game. BOSTON BULLDOGS See Pottsville Maroons BOX see The Box
BP An
acronym for Blocked
punts - usually found in a
Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
High/low coverage involves one defensive player staying between the line of scrimmage and the receiver, protecting against short passes, and another defender playing behind the receiver to protect from deep routes. Skilled personnel can beat this coverage, however, based on running a route that breaks to the inside. On an "in" route the receiver makes a near-90 degree turn to the inside of the field and uses his speed to get away from the underneath defender. A higher-difficulty option is the "post" or "skinny post" route, which involves a turn of 30-60 degrees to the inside. The receiver again uses his speed to separate from the defender playing underneath, and the quarterback must deliver the ball over this defender and far enough inside that the defender protecting against deep passes cannot come down/across the flight path of the ball and deflect or intercept it. Though the difficulty on this pass is much higher, its success will gain many more yards. In/out coverage is a scheme where one defender protects against routes run to the inside and another protects against routes to the outside. The easiest way to beat this coverage is a simple "go"/streak route: the receiver simply sprints down the field past the defenders. Any hesitation on the defenders' part to drop their coverage assignment and run with the streaking receiver can be exploited. BRONCOS See Denver Broncos
In the months before the regular season began, both leagues battled with each other for fan support and the right to play at Ebbets Field. The NFL emerged as the winner, as the Lions signed the lease to use the stadium on July 20. Neither the Lions or the Horseman had much success. In fact, both teams merged just after four games into the regular season. The team finished the NFL season as the Brooklyn Lions. But both the Lions and the Horsemen folded following the season. BROWNS See Cleveland Browns BrUp abbreviation for broken up passes (found in STAT records) BT An acronym for Broken Tackles - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports BT% An acronym for Broken Tackles Percentage - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
A play usually run from a wing-t formation that includes a variety of play fakes. The quarterback takes the snap and fakes trap to the fullback. He then hands off to a halfback or wingback, who runs to the outside. The buck sweep is normally blocked by pulling the playside gaurd to kickout the force defender, and the backside gaurd pulling and turning up on the playsided linebacker. This allows for the other linemen to downblock on the other defenders, giving the offense an advantage when it comes to blocking angles. The buck sweep also provides an advantage in the possibilities off of its action, with the fullback trap before the sweep, the waggle pass or bootleg after it, and the sweep itself. BUD WILKINSON See Wilkinson Bud
The Buffalo Bills American football
club is a Buffalo, New York-based National Football League team which
plays its home games in the suburb of The Bills won two consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. The club is also the first team to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls, but they lost all of them. Year founded: 1960
City: Head Coach: Dick Jauron Team Colors: Dark Navy, Red, Royal, Nickel, and White Uniform colors: 19601961: Light blue and white; 1962Present: Red, white and blue
Helmet design:
19601961: Silver with blue side numerals; 19621964: White with red
center stripe and red stationary bison; 19651973: White with red and
blue center stripes and red standing bison; 19741983: White with red
and blue center stripes and blue charging bison with a red slanting
stripe streaming from its horn; Home fields
War Memorial Stadium (1960-1972) BULLDOGS See Canton Bulldogs or Boston Bulldogs or Cleveland Bulldogs
This varies from the more traditional defensive formation in which a defensive player will give the receiver a "cushion" of about 5 yards in order to prevent the receiver from getting behind them. This tactic is possible because of the rule allowing defensive players to initiate contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage BUST (fantasy football term) A player, usually drafted in the first three rounds of a fantasy draft, who is predicted to have a poor season. The player might be injury-prone, have a future star behind them in the depth chart, or just won't be able to live up to their hype
For a buttonhook to be effective, the receiver must convince the defensive back covering him that he is going to continue his pattern downfield.
CALL A PLAY: instruct players to execute a pre-planned play.
Similar to American football, but with some differences, including different field size and scoring.
Jim Thorpe
was
CARDINALS See Arizona Cardinals CARDS: Short for Cardinals See Arizona Cardinals
The Carolina Panthers American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: John Fox Uniform colors: Black, Panther Blue, Silver, and White Helmet design: Silver helmet, a black snarling panther outlined in blue Nickname: The Cardiac Cats Home fields:
Memorial Stadium,
Clemson (1995)
Preceded by: Jim
Thorpe CARROLL ROSENBLOOM See Rosenbloom. Carroll
After snapping the football, the center must be ready to block the defensive linemen. The center is at the center of the offensive line, and it is the center who snaps the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play. On most plays, the center will snap the ball directly to the quarterback's hands. In a shotgun formation, the center snaps the ball to the quarterback lined up several yards behind him. Before the snap, the center will often be responsible for making calls to adjust the blocking assignments of all the offensive linemen. After the snap, the center must block defensive players from reaching the ball carrier (on running plays) or the quarterback (on passing plays). On passing plays in particular, the center often must block blitzing defensive players. In special teams situations, the center is referred to as a "long snapper," who snaps the ball with two hands to a punter standing approximately 12-14 yards behind him, or to the holder for the placekicker, kneeling approximately 7 yards behind him. These long snappers are often players particularly talented at performing these snaps, and are not necessarily the same center used on other plays. In fact, professional football teams may carry a player on their roster for the sole or primary purpose of long snapping. The Center for The Indianapolis Colts is Jeff Saturday
The chain gang brings the chains onto the field for measurements on plays that end too close to the first down for the officials to make a determination by simply comparing the spot of the ball with the marker on the sideline. The chains are brought out to give an exact measurement from the spot where the series started. The Chain Crew are assistants to the referee who handle the first down measuring chain and the down indicator box. The members of the chain crew who operate the measuring chain are called rod men and the person who works the down indicator box is called the box man.
When a team gains a first down, one of the rod men places one end of the chain on the sideline parallel to the spot of the ball. The other rod man then stretches the chain out to mark the first down line. To ensure an accurate measurement, a clip is usually attached to the chain on the closest 5-yard mark on the field. The chains will be brought directly onto the field whenever the referee needs an accurate measurement to determine if a first down has been made. A team may also request an accurate measurement to determine how far they have to reach for the first down. For professional and college football games, an auxiliary chain crew operates on the opposite side of the field. Here, another "stick" and down indicator box is used so that players and officials can also look at the other side of the field to know where the first down line and the line of scrimmage is, respectively. The auxiliary chain crew also includes the drive start indicator, which is placed at the beginning of a team's drive and stays there until they lose possession. This indicator is only used for statistical purposes to calculate the distance of each drive. It looks similar to a "stick", but it has an arrow that points in the direction to where the offensive team is going. Members of the chain crew are usually picked by the offices of the home team instead of the league or conference that they play in.
He served in World War I and then played pro football for eight years, from 1920-27. George Halas called him the greatest two-way end in the history of the game. He stood 6- 1, weighed 200, and was outstanding on offense and defense. For six of his pro years he was player-coach.
He went
back to
CHARGERS See San Diago Chargers CHARLES BURNHAM WILKINSON See Wilkinson Bud
A check off is often called by the quarterback when he doesn't like the play call after getting a look at the defensive formation Also Known As: audible, automatic
Cheerleading is an activity that uses organized routines made up of elements from dance and/or gymnastics to cheer on sports teams at games and matches, and/or as a competitive sport. Cheerleaders are present at all NFL Professional Football games, each team has its own set of cheerleaders who dance, cheer and spur the crowd on. But Cheerleading is not restricted to American Football in fact Cheerleading is a recognized sport of its own. Its beginnings though are by no means as glamorous a spectacle as they are today.
The Chicago Bears American football
club is a National Football League team based in
The Bears have won 9 total league titles, including 8 NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX. They have played in over 1,000 games and currently lead the NFL in overall franchise wins with over 660. The Bears also lead the league in the number of Pro Football Hall of Fame players with 26 enshrinees.
City:
Team Colors:
Navy Blue, Head Coach: Lovie Smith Home fields
Staley Field (1919-1920) CHIEFS See Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive linemen often try to cut defensive linemen by using chop blocks. CHUCK and DUCK a style of offense with minimal pass protection requiring the quarterback to "chuck" the ball then "duck" to avoid a defensive lineman.
Stiff arm
The Cincinnati Bengals American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis
Team Colors:
Black, Head Coach: Marvin Lewis
Uniform colors:
Black,
Helmet design:
Home fields:
Nippert Stadium (1968-1969) Paul Brown Stadium (2000-present) The Ickey Shuffle The most commonly recognized contribution comes from the "Ickey Shuffle", a celebratory dance created by Bengals running back Ickey Woods in his rookie season of 1988 during the Bengals' Super Bowl run. This dance, done after Woods would score a touchdown, was the catalyst for the NFL instituting penalties against excessive celebratory performances (resulting in the backronym "No Fun League"), and before the 1989 season was over it was relegated to the sidelines.
The Cleveland Browns American
football club is a National Football League team based in
In some accounts, there may be
confusion regarding the team's history due to unusual and
unprecedented actions taken by the cities of Cleveland, For that reason, past records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. However, some consider the Ravens and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continuous entity, using the term The Modell Franchise to denote it.
City:
Head Coach: Romeo Crennel
Team Colors:
Brown, Uniform colors: Brown (officially "Seal Brown") and Orange
Helmet design:
Home fields
Cleveland Municipal Stadium (1946-1995)
The 1931 team was a
league-sponsored club that only played games on the road. The NFL
intended to locate this team permanently in
Referee signal: hand striking the back of the leg. Clipping is a foul, with a 15-yard penalty.
Soon, colors were added to the face
masks as another way to distinguish players and teams.
- some players have it, some players do not. CLUTH KICKER See Clutch CLUTCH QUARTERBACK See Clutch
CM
(also COM, COMP)
An acronym for Completions
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
a punter may try to place the ball so that it lands and goes out of bounds, or is downed, near a corner of the playing field just in front of the end zone, thus forcing difficult field position for the receiving team on their next scrimmage. By extension from the real-life usage of the term described above, the corner the punter is aiming for in that situation is sometimes called the "coffin corner", for if the kick is only slightly too far in either direction (out of bounds or into the end zone) a touchback is awarded the ball will be placed on the twenty yard line, losing the advantage that comes with a successful execution of the kick.
COM (also
CM, COMP) An acronym for Completions
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
1. A legally caught pass. Also
known as a reception. A forward pass
that is thrown by the Quarterback and caught by an offensive
player that is beyond the line of scrimmage.
CONTACT SPORT: Any sport involving physical contact between players. Football is a contact sport, as are hockey, boxing, and soccer.
While Jimmy Conzelman was a success at most of his endeavors, which included stints as a newspaper publisher, playwright, author, orator, and actor, it was primarily as a football player and coach that he excelled.
A halfback at
After one season with the Staleys,
Conzelman moved on to the Rock Island Independents where he began his
career as a player-coach. He stayed with the Independents through
seven games of the 1922 season before jumping to the Milwaukee
Badgers for the remainder of the season and the 1923 season. Offered
an NFL franchise in
Eventually he returned the
franchise back to the league and in 1927 joined the Providence Steam
Roller as the player-coach. Quarterback Conzelman suffered a knee
injury in 1928, but coach Conzelman led the team to an Conzelman retired after that season with an overall professional record of 82 wins, 69 losses, and 14 ties.
A defensive backfield player, almost as deep into the backfield as the safety. There are two cornerbacks. Their job is to tackle runners and intercept passes. Either one of the two defensive backs who plays behind and to the outside of the linebackers, and whose duties include defending against passes and stopping running plays to the outside. A position in football, more broadly classified as a defensive back. As this suggests, he is indeed a defensive player. The modern cornerback is ideally very fast, agile, and has good football instinct. Like any defensive player, he must be able to react faster than his opponent, since he does not have the benefit of knowing where a play is going to go. Essential skills for a cornerback include backpedaling, jumping, staying with his man, anticipating a pass route and reading the quarterback. Most defensive formations in modern pro football use 4 defensive backs. Two of these are safeties, and two of them are corners. A corner's responsibilities vary depending on the type of coverage called. Coverage is simply how the defense will be protecting against the pass. A corner will be given one of two ways to defend the pass (with variations that result in more or less the same responsibilities): zone and man-to-man. In zone coverage, the cornerback is responsible for an area on the field. In this case, the corner must always stay downfield of whoever it is covering while still remaining in its zone, always between the sideline and the opposing player. Zone is a more relaxed defensive scheme meant to provide more awareness across the defensive secondary while sacrificing tight coverage. As such, the corner in this case would be responsible for making sure nobody gets outside of him, always, or downfield of him, in cases where there is no deep safety help. In man coverage, however, the cornerback is solely responsible for the man across from him, usually the offensive player split farthest out.
This play is designed for the offensive team to feign rushing one way, then attacking the defense in the opposite direction. In a counter trey right, the center, right guard, and right tackle block left as if the play is going left. The left guard and left tackle "pull" from their positions by moving behind the other linemen and around the right corner. The running back takes an initial feint step to the left, then cuts back to the right, receives the handoff from the quarterback, and follows behind the pulling left guard and left tackle. The left guard and left tackle will usually be blocking smaller linebackers and defensive backs downfield--this mismatch favors the offense. The counter trey requires quick, athletic linemen for good execution. Many teams have run this play, but it first became well-known when run by the Washington Redskins in the 1980s. In particular, guard Russ Grimm and tackle Joe Jacoby would open up massive holes for John Riggins, George Rogers, and Earnest Byner.
Cover 0 refers to pure man coverage
with no deep defender. Similar to Cover 1, Cover 0 has the same
strengths and weaknesses. Cover 1 schemes employ only one deep defender, usually a safety. Many underneath coverages paired with Cover 1 shells are strictly man-to-man with LBs and defensive backs each assigned a different offensive player to cover. By using only one deep defender in Cover 1, the other deep defender is free to blitz the quarterback or provide man-to-man pass coverage help. Cover 1 schemes are usually very aggressive, preferring to proactively disrupt the offense by giving the quarterback little time to make a decision while collapsing the pocket quickly. This is the main advantage of Cover 1 schemes--the ability to blitz from various pre-snap formations while engaging in complex man-to-man coverage schemes post-snap. For example, a safety may blitz while a CB is locked in man coverage with a WR. Or the CB may blitz with the safety rotating into man coverage on the WR post-snap. The main weakness of Cover 1 schemes is the lone deep defender that must cover a large amount of field and provide help on any deep threats. Offenses can attack Cover 1 schemes with a vertical stretch by sending two receivers on deep routes, provided that the quarterback has enough time for his receivers to get open. The deep defender must decide which receiver to help out on, leaving the other in man coverage which may be a mismatch.
A secondary weakness is inherent
its design: the use of man coverage opens up yards after catch lanes.
Man coverage is attacked by offenses in various ways that try to
isolate their best athletes on defenders by passing them the ball
quickly before the defender can react or designing plays that clear
defenders from certain areas thus opening yards after catch lanes.
COVER 2 Cover Two zone scheme known as Tampa Two, so named because it took hold with coach Tony Dungy's Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It has become the most popular defense in the NFL, a bend-but-don't-break scheme that forces offenses to execute down the length of the field five yards at a time. The entire concept of the Cover 2 is to make it hard to pass on you. The name comes from the position of the safeties, who both play deep zone coverage. In this normally 4-3 coverage scheme, your safeties play further back, while your linebackers and cornerbacks play zone coverage underneath the safeties. Each person underneath covers about 1/5th the width of the field for about 7 yards deep. The two safeties split the field and each cover half against the deep pass.
Cover Two Defense
Offense
|
That aggressive approach is the
foundation of the Tampa 2, the style of Cover 2
defense made popular by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Tony Dungy,
starting in the mid- to late-1990s. Actually, it all started in the
1970s with Bud Carson's Steelers defenses, for whom Dungy played
defensive back. Dungy learned the Cover 2 from
In Cover 2, two safeties play
zone (area) coverage, each of them responsible for half of the
field. Dungy's Bucs had great success dropping a speedy middle
linebacker (the "Mike") down the middle of the field
to defend the pass, creating a three-deep look, while four often
undersized but quick defensive linemen rushed the passer. And so, the
So, too, was a trend. Nowadays,
most every defense in the league has some form of the The "Cover 2" is a zone defense in which every defender is responsible for a specific area of the field. Instead of playing man to man it's more of a zone type defense where you defend a certain part of the field. The two safeties, playing well off the line of scrimmage, cover the deep passing routes, while also directing the strategy and of the rest of the defense. Each additional member of the defense is responsible for a specific area of the field.
After the play begins by the
opposing Teams Offense, each of the defenders keeps his eyes on the
ball and reacts quickly to it, be it a run or a pass. The Cover 2
scheme works best when out-fitted with high-energy personnel that
excel at responding quickly to the play and attacking the ball. When
executed properly by experienced, skilled personnel, the Cover 2
defense is unbeatable. The Cover 2 defense is thus adaptable to the
myriad formations and schemes brought forth by the competition. Cover 3 refers to 3 deep defenders each guarding one-third of the deep zone. Cover 3 schemes are usually used to defend against passes, mainly those towards the deep middle of the field. Unlike Cover 2 schemes that create a natural hole between safeties, Cover 3's extra deep defender is able to patrol the middle area effectively. The most basic Cover 3 scheme involves 2 CBs and a safety. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. One safety moves toward the center of the field. The other safety is free to rotate into the flat area (about 2-4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage), provide pass coverage help, or blitz. As with other coverage shells, Cover 3 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.
The main weakness of Cover 3 shells
is the 2 retreating CBs. Since the CBs are working for depth, short
pass routes underneath the CB can isolate him on a wide receiver near
the sideline with little help. Cover 4 refers to 4 deep defenders each guarding one-fourth of the deep zone. Cover 4 schemes are usually used to defend against deep passes. (See Prevent defense). The most basic Cover 4 scheme involves 2 CBs and 2 safeties. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. Both safeties backpedal towards their assigned zone. As with other coverage shells, Cover 4 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form. The main weakness of Cover 4 shells is the retreating defensive backs. Since the DBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath can isolate them on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help. COWBOYS See Dallas Cowboys
This is an illegal block by an offensive player who is usually spread out away from the main body of the formation and runs back in towards the ball at the snap, blocking an opponent below the waist or in the back with the force of the block back toward the original position of the ball at the snap. An illegal crackback block is penalized 15 yards against the offending team.
The curl is a pattern used frequently by the West Coast offensive scheme, where quick and accurate passes are favored.
CUT:
1.To suddenly change direction to lose a pursuing player. CUT BACK: a sudden change in direction taken by a to make it more difficult for defenders to follow and tackle him.
The NFL's Denver Broncos are especially famous (or infamous) for using this technique. - D -
Uniform colors:
White jerseys have royal blue numbers and lettering; colored jerseys
feature a darker shade of blue as background (similar to that of
the star logo) with white numbers and lettering. By tradition,
and unlike most NFL teams, the Cowboys normally wear their white
jerseys at home (although they may wear their colored jerseys
during special occasions). In the 2003 season, the Cowboys
revived their 1962 throwback uniform (blue jersey with white
sleeves) for special occasions such as Thanksgiving; it was also
worn on Year founded: 1960
City:
Helmet design:
Silver background with a blue star Team Colors: Royal Blue, Metallic Silver, Blue, and White Head Coach: Bill Parcells
Home field:
Deacon Jones rule Enacted in 1977 - The Deacon Jones rule, which eliminated head slapping. Jones was a master at ringing bells inside the offensive linemens heads. They say he may have contributed more concussions to the game than any other player in the entire history of the NFL. If you dont believe it hurts, put on a helmet, and have someone slam an open palm against one side, over the ear hole. Youll be seeing stars for a long time.
A play from scrimmage ends when the ball is dead; this occurs when one of the following happens:
George Halas was hired in
1920 by A. E. Staley of the Staley Manufacturing Co. (whose primary
product was cornstarch) to form both a football and a baseball team
for the company. In order to find opponents, Halas pushed the
football team into the new league that was being formed, the American
Professional Football Association. A severe recession in early 1921
forced Staley to lay off the athletes he had hired; he suggested to
Halas that the football team should move to
Edward "Dutch" Sternaman,
who was Halas's teammate at the Dutch Sternaman has been credited with coining the phrase, "When in doubt, punt!" which he apparently used in a 1924 pre-game pep talk.
Moving to
The team defending their goal line. The defense does not have the ball; rather, they attempt to keep the offense from passing or running the ball over their (the defense's) goal line. Unlike the offensive team, there are no formally defined defensive positions. A defensive player may line up anywhere on his side of the line of scrimmage and perform any legal action. However, most sets of defensive formations used include a line composed of DEFENSIVE PLAYERS DEFENSIVE BACK : (DB) Any one of the four members of the defensive backfieldthe two safeties and the two cornerbackswho are positioned behind the linebackers. It's the job of the defensive backs to defend against passes and give support on running plays. A member of the defensive secondary. Defensive backs generally try to keep receivers from making catches. Safeties, cornerbacks, nickel backs, and dime backs are considered to be defensive backs.
Defensive Backs for
Defensive back is a defensive position in American and Canadian football. Defensive Backs are charged with the responsibility of preventing receivers from catching passes. However, similar to other defensive players, Defensive backs can also sack the quarterback and tackle running backs. It should be noted that "Defensive Back" is a collective term for several other positions, which include cornerbacks, as well as Strong and Free Safeties. Alternately, this term may be referred to as the "defensive secondary". While defensive backs must exhibit superb displays of speed and agility, they are also required to master the crucial technique of backpedaling, which enables one to follow a receiver while still focusing on the football. Furthermore, Defensive backs must be able to analyze an offensive formation before the play can begin, allowing one to predict intentions of an offense. A defensive back must also possess the ability to change one's path while running at whim, enabling a superior "man-to-man" coverage. Lastly, a defensive back must be capable of voraciously and accurately tackling offensive units. While these tackles may not often make the highlight reel after the game, they prevent the offensive units from breaking away and making big plays.
Also see backfield
Similarly, there is the offensive coordinator who is in charge of the offense.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years. Early formations, with six and seven man lines, used the end as a containment player, whose job was first to prevent an "end run" around his position, then secondarily to force plays inside. When most teams adopted a five man line, two different styles of end play developed: "crashing" ends, who rushed into the backfield to disrupt plays, and "stand-up" or "waiting" ends, who played the more traditional containment style. Some coaches would use both techniques depending on game situations. Traditionally, D-ends are in a 3 point stance, with there other hand cocked back ready to punch the offensive lineman. Some ends are bigger. They close down there gap so the running back has no hole to run through. Other ends are quicker. They are used to rush the quarterback. They can often times, time the snap of the ball to get a jump on the rush. Most of the time it is the job of the defensive end to keep outside contain, which means that no one should get to their outside; they must keep everything to the inside. The defensive ends are usually fast for players of their size, often the fastest and smallest players on the defensive line. They must be able to shed blockers to get to the ball. Defensive ends are also often used to cover the outside area of the line of scrimmage, to tackle ball carriers running to the far right or left side, and to defend against screen passes. Defensive ends are usually the only players on the line who are ever used to cover offensive players running receiving routes, albeit ones that are very close to the line of scrimmage.
Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are The Indianapolis Colts Defensive Ends These guys are the heroes of the defensive line, because they play the part of guided missile. As soon as the ball is snapped to the quarterback, these two guys are supposed to jump his creaking bones by any means possible before he gets rid of it. YOU KNOW THEYRE DOING THEIR JOB WHEN: You see the quarterback in the backfield running around like a rabbit being chased by coyotes. Or flat on his back, like a rabbit caught by em. YOU KNOW THEY ARENT WHEN: The quarterback is standing around in the backfield, polishing his nails, waiting for one of his receivers to find some spare time to catch the ball.
A defensive formation can be defined as a predetermined allignment of defensive players on the field. Theses are some of the more common defensive formations used in the game of football today.
In order for coaches and players of American football to exchange information in a rapid manner during practices and games, a more or less standard terminology for defensive schemes has been developed.
Inside the five yard chuck zone, the defense may jam the receiver, but after that a penalty is called. Defensive holding results in a five-yard penalty on the offending team and an automatic first down. Also Known As: Illegal Use of Hands
The defensive line is usually made up of the biggest defensive players, including defensive ends and tackles. Unless your The Indianpolis Colts with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis!
The Defensive Line for
The defensive line is comprised of a combination of defensive tackles or nose tackles, and defensive ends.
NFL: An automatic first down and the ball is moved forward to the location of the interference -- a devastating penalty if the play was a long pass. If the interference takes place in the end zone, the ball is placed on the one-yard line.
The main job of the secondary is to be prepared to handle passing plays. The general goal of defensive strategy is to prevent the opposing team's offense from scoring. While doing so, the defensive players may also attempt to gain control of the football and score points themselves. There are many different defensive strategies. Defensive formations Players on the defensive side of the ball are generally split between down linemen (tackles, defensive ends and nose guards), linebackers, and defensive backs (safeties and cornerbacks). To describe the basic defensive alignment of linemen, linebackers and backs, the number of down linemen is usually followed by the number of linebackers. By far the most common alignments are four down linemen and three linebackers (4-3), but alignments with three down linemen and four linebackers (3-4) are currently used by a number of teams. The number of defensive backs is usually not mentioned (as it is, for example, in describing soccer alignments). However, on plays where the defense expects the offense to pass, emphasis is often placed on the number of defensive backs. When one of the "front seven" (down linemen and linebackers) is removed in favour of a defensive back, the five defensive backs are described as a "nickel" package. When a sixth defensive back is inserted, it is known as a "dime" package. Unusual defensive alignments are rare, but often successful. In Super Bowl XXV, the New York Giants played with only two down linemen, with four linebackers and five defensive backs. The strategy was very successful in preventing the Buffalo Bills from completing long passes, but it allowed over 190 yards in rushing. Nevertheless, the Giants won. Another example is the New England Patriots using no down linemen and seven linebackers for two plays against the Miami Dolphins during a Monday Night game in 2004. 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 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 defense, 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 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. Other coverages Strategy Effective defense depends on co-operation from defensive players and an understanding of what coverage they are in. For example, in Cover Two, the cornerbacks are afforded with the knowledge that if they decide to jump a route (and thereby intercept or deflect a pass) they will have safety help farther upfield should they be tricked by a fake. In Cover One, the safety must be aware that one of the cornerbacks could have difficulty covering a wide receiver, and must be available to move over to help the cornerback before the quarterback can throw. Typically Cover One is only used if there are more than two wide receivers or other passing threats. Moreover, mixing up defensive alignments and not being predictable are important since if an offense recognizes an alignment or coverage scheme, or a tendency to use such a scheme, they can often take advantage of it. For example, if the defense is blitzing, and the quarterback forsees it (for example, one of the blitzing players moves towards the line of scrimmage before the snap) the quarterback knows that it is man-to-man coverage and will look for his fastest receiver to get open, or throw to the spot that is vacated by the blitzing player. Special Cases In the modern game, with players getting faster and stronger, defensive coordinators often look to a player's special skills in order to surprise the offense. For example, in some defensive schemes, defensive down linemen are given pass coverage responsibility. Since Lawrence Taylor now rush three down linemen and a single linebacker (often a different one on every play), a strategy that was almost unknown before he started to play. Moreover, even defensive backs are being given more responsibility on running plays. For example, on plays where a running back runs wide, it is the responsibility of the cornerback to ensure that the running back does not get directly to the sideline, and that the back is forced to run in front of the cornerback where there is more likely to be help from linebackers. Modern offenses have adapted to these strategies, and often require different skills from players, particularly running backs who, in addition to running with the ball, are expected to run deep pass routes against linebacker coverage, and to be available to block blitzing players on pass plays
3-4
In the following, "cover"
refers to the "shell" that the defense rolls into after the
snap of the ball, more specifically the number of defenders guarding
the deep portion of the field.
* Cover 1 Special teams strategy "Special team" is the term used to describe the specialized group of players who take the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal attempts. Most football teams' special teams include one or more kickers, a long snapper (who specializes in accurate snaps over long distances), kick returners who catch and carry the ball after it is kicked by the opposing team, and blockers who defend during kicks and returns. Some players may take the field as members of the offense or defense as well as the special teams; one notable example is Steve Smith, wide receiver for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, who also played as a kick returner during the 2005 NFL season, and was drafted primarily as a special teams player. Although these are risky, there are a variety of strategic plays which can be attempted during kickoffs, punts, and field goals which can be used to surprise the opposition and (hopefully) score points. Kickoff strategy A kickoff occurs at the beginning of each half and each overtime period, as well as after a successful field goal or touchdown. A coin toss determines which team kicks the ball away and which team receives the ball. After a field goal or a touchdown, the team which scored the points kicks the ball to the opposing team, which in most cases catches the ball and may attempt to "return" it up the field. Strategically, the coach of the kicking team may choose to have his players kick the ball in one of several ways:
* Standard kickoff Field goals are often viewed as a way for teams to turn a disappointing drive into a small victory. However, many football games are decided by field goals in the final minutes or seconds of play, making the ability to kick an accurate field goal vital for any football team. The strategy for a field goal is fairly straightforward. The team on offense forms a protective semicircle behind the line of scrimmage on either side of the center, who snaps the ball to the holder. The holder positions the ball so that the kicker - moving from a short distance away - can quickly get into position and accurately kick the ball through the goalposts. The remaining players block the opposing team, whose members will be trying to break through the protective circle in order to block the kick or bat it aside for a chance to intercept the ball. If a team misses the field goal, the opposing team takes possession of the ball without a kickoff. Distance, the amounts of wind and noise within the stadium, and the amount of experience the kicker has are all determining factors in the success or failure of a field goal attempt. The majority of successful field goal attempts are kicked within 50 yards of the goalpost. However, some kickers can - and often do - make good kicks from farther away. The current NFL record for the longest successful field goal was set in 1970 by Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints, who kicked from 63 yards out. It should be noted that Dempsey had a specially shaped prosthetic foot that enabled him to make such long kicks, and that such prosthetics have since been banned. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied this record in 1998. Modern kickers use a soccer style kick, which involves taking a diagonal approach to the ball and kicking with the inside of the foot. Many kickers in the 1950s and earlier kicked the ball by lining up directly behind it and approaching straight ahead. This is still seen today in a limited capacity in high school and college football. In some situations, a coach may choose to have his team fake a field goal attempt. The players line up as normal, but instead of holding the ball for a kick, the player receiving the snap may run with the ball, hand it off to another player, or attempt to throw it downfield. This play is quite risky and therefore not used often. It is possible for the defensive team to return a missed field goal, although this is attempted very rarely. If a field goal attempt is short of the goal posts and the ball is caught by a defensive player before it hits the ground, the player may return the ball just as on a punt. Teams usually try a return only when a very long field goal is attempted at the end of the first half, since in all other cases it is more advantageous for the defense to just let the ball fall short. Recently, returns of this type have happened in 2002 (Chris McAlister of the Baltimore Ravens, for 107 yards versus the Denver Broncos), 2005 (Nathan Vasher of the Chicago Bears, for 108 yards versus the San Francisco 49ers; this currently holds the record for longest play in NFL history), and 2006 (Devin Hester, also of the Bears, tied the previous record of 108 with a return against the New York Giants). Most teams punt on fourth down when the chances of gaining enough yards for a first down are slim and when the ball is too far from the goalpost to allow a field goal try. Generally, a member of the opposing team moves into position to catch the ball. He may try to gain yards by running the ball downfield, or he may signal a fair catch by waving one arm above his head, thus agreeing that he will not attempt to return the ball downfield. A player who has signalled a fair catch may not be tackled after catching the ball. In some cases, a coach may attempt trickery by switching between his offense and special teams players between plays. A coach may call a time-out, send the kicking team onto the field, and then when the play clock resumes quickly run his offense back on and his kicking team off, hopefully disorienting the defending team enough to advance on the ensuing play or cause a penalty if the defending team cannot switch personnel quickly enough. However, this trickery can also result in penalties against the offense if the play takes too long (delay of game) or if too many players remain on the field when the ball is snapped. Occasionally a coach will line his team up in a shotgun formation and have the quarterback "quick kick" or "pooch punt" -- using the element of surprise to cause the defense not to have a receiver ready. Fake punts In much the same way as a fake field goal (described above), a fake punt is an effort to trick the opposition and either score or gain enough yards for a first down. Fake punts are risky for the same reasons as fake field goals and are thus rarely attempted. Punts out-of-bounds Skilled punters may try to punt a ball past the return team so that the ball touches the playing field in bounds, then rolls out of bounds close to the opposing team's end zone. The drawback to such a punt is that the ball may roll into the end zone (touchback), giving the receiving team decent field position. Or, if the kick is angled too sharply, it will go out of bounds too early and result in an unusually short punt. The best punters are highly regarded for their ability to put the ball out of bounds within five yards of the goal line. These punts are also known as "coffin corner punts" due to their ability to act as a "coffin nail" to an opposing offense. Receiving kicks The biggest choice facing a kick returner is whether or not to attempt to run the ball back. Generally, a returner who catches a kickoff or punt in the "red zone" between the receiving team's own end zone and 20 yard line will attempt some sort of return, if only to gain a few yards. If the receiving team's players can get into position quickly, they may be able to allow the returner to gain further yardage or break away from the pack entirely and score a touchdown.
The duties of a defensive tackle include stopping the running back on running plays, getting pressure up the middle on passing plays, and occupying blockers so the linebackers can roam free. Defensive Tackles, or DT's, are typically the largest and strongest of the defensive players. The defensive tackle typically lines up opposite one of the offensive guards. Depending on a team's individual defensive scheme, a defensive tackle may be called upon to fill several different roles. These roles may include merely holding the point of attack by refusing to be moved, or penetrating a certain gap between offensive linemen to break up a play in the opponent's backfield. If a defensive tackle reads a pass play, his primary responsibilty is to pursue the quarterback. Other responsibilities of the defensive tackle may be to pursue the screen pass or drop into coverage in a zone blitz scheme. In the 3-4 defensive scheme the sole defensive tackle is referred to as the nose guard. The primary responsibility of the defensive tackle in this scheme is to absorb multiple blockers so that other players in the defensive front can attack ballcarriers and rush the quarterback.
Why they have the term as a
"TACKLE" is beyond me, If you had to define their job, it would be to make sure those zippy ball carriers dont manage to run down the center of the field. So, in theory, they cover that A gap between the opposing center and the guard outside of them on the line, and something called the B gap, which exists between the opposing guard and the tackle outside of them on the line, making sure nobody carrying the ball runs through there. Ok so theyre trying to stop a guy with the ball: why dont they tackle em? Well, they would if they could get at em. But ordinarily the guy with the ball, seeing the defensive tackle there, slobbering in anticipation, will seek an alternate route, and the opposing guard and tackle will do their best to discourage people like the defensive tackles from going after him. Of course, sometimes they get lucky and the guy with the ball decides to take his chances and goes for one of the gaps. At that point, all the tackle has to do is bully his way past the opposing guard and tackle who are there pretty much specifically to impede him, and then jump on top of the guy with the ball before hes too far out of reach. YOU KNOW THEYRE DOING THEIR JOB WHEN: Same as the nose tackle: nobody takes the ball on the hoof and prances down the middle of the field without tasting turf.
YOU KNOW THEYRE NOT WHEN: The
other team treats the A and B gaps
like exits on the
DEFLECTED PASS
The 40-second play clock starts running immediately when the previous play ends. If there is a timeout or other stoppage of play, a 25-second play clock starts from when the ball is spotted and declared ready for play. Referee signal: Two forearms in front of chest parallel to the body with open fists, one on top of the other. This penalty can be called on either offense or defense, but the foul is most commonly committed by the offense. The penalty occurs on offense when they allow the play clock to run down to zero without snapping the ball. The penalty can be called on the defense if the referees feel that the defense did not allow the offense to get the play off in time for any reason. A similar foul is delay on kickoff. penalty: 5 yards see official Signal
He is most widely
known for his NFL record 63 yard field goal, kicked in the final 5
seconds to give the New Orleans Saints a 19-17 win over the Detroit
Lions on Dempsey was born with no right hand, and a right club foot, with no toes on his right foot (which was his kicking foot). He wore a modified shoe with a flattened and enlarged toe area, giving somewhat the appearance of a hammer. He used a straight approach to kick the ball as opposed to the "soccer style" used by nearly all place kickers today. Dempsey's accomplishment led to the NFL passing a rule requiring that all footgear be "normal" (their term) regardless of the kicker's personal situation.
The Denver Broncos
American football club is a National Football League team based in The Denver Broncos were a small-market team that met with little success in their early years but have since become one of the elite franchises of the league after having advanced to the Super Bowl six times. In their first four appearances, they suffered successively lopsided defeats, achieving near-legendary status as frustrated losers before winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1998 and 1999 under quarterback John Elway, running back Terrell Davis and coach Mike Shanahan. For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its unbroken string of sell-outs and its famous home-field advantage percentage for the Broncos, especially during the post-season. Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. Since 2001, they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of Mile High Stadium.
City:
Head Coach: Mike Shanahan
Uniform colors:
"Broncos Navy Blue",
Helmet design:
Navy Blue background with a white horse-head profile. Home fields
Mile High Stadium (1960-2000)
DEPTH CHART An NFL team roster with players classified as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd string.
The Detroit Lions
American football club is a National Football League team based in
The Lions have won four NFL Championships.
City:
Team Colors:
Head Coach:
Rod Marinelli
Universal Stadium (1930-1933) Ford Field (2002-present)
Teams normally use four defensive backs. When a fifth defensive back comes in the game, he is referred to as the nickel back. When the sixth defensive back comes in, he is refered to as the dime back. A dimeback is a cornerback who serves as the sixth defensive back on defense. The third cornerback on defence is known as a nickelback. The dimeback position is essentially relegated to backup cornerbacks who do not play starting cornerback positions. Dimebacks are usually fast players because they must be able to keep up on passing plays with 3+ wide receivers. Usually, dimebacks are brought onto the feild before plays that have a good possibility of becoming pass plays. Usually, a linebacker is substituted for a cornerback in order to gain better pass defence.
Dime coverage is generally used only in obvious passing situations.
You have two defensive ends (DE), one on each end of the line, and two defensive tackles (DT) in between. Behind the defensive line is one linebacker (LB). Two cornerbacks (CB), one nickel back (NB), and one dime back (DB) combine with two safeties to cover the defensive backfield. The exact position of the defensive backs depends on the type of pass coverage they are in.
See Dime Defense DION SANDERS See Sanders, Dion
Colts QB
Peyton Manning (18) looks to receiver
Brandon Stokley as a diversion during a direct snap to Edgerrin James
in the fourth quarter. The trick play gained five yards and help set
up the Colts only touchdown on the day giving the DIRTY BIRDS See Atlanta Falcons DIVE An Offensive Play See PLUNGE
Double coverage is a state of defensive playcalling wherein two defensive players are assigned to "cover" one offensive player. This situation is often seen with standout wide receivers and running backs. Note: It's actually extremely rare to nonexistent to have 2 DBs man-cover a single receiver. Commentators who use the term "double-coverage" almost always mean a CB covering a WR man-to-man, with a safety playing over the top (typically trying to stay in front of the WR's route) for deep ball assistance.
A double foul usually results in offsetting penalties that negate the result of the play.
See Option Play DOUBLE REVERSE a play in which the ball reverses direction twice behind the line of scrimmage. This is usually accomplished by means of two or three hand-offs, each hand-off going in an opposite direction as the previous one. Such a play is extremely infrequent in football. Some people confuse the double reverse with a reverse, which is a play with two hand-offs instead of three. DOUBLE WING a formation with two tight ends and two wingbacks.
DOWN AND IN: A maneuver where the receiver runs straight downfield, then suddenly cuts toward the middle of the field. DOWN AND OUT: A pass route In which the receiver runs straight downfield, then cuts sharply toward the sideline.
also known as chains
Some officials, generally the Umpire position, may also use an indicator to keep track of where the ball was placed between the hash marks before the play (i.e. the right hash marks, the left ones, or at the midpoint between the two). This is important when they re-spot the ball after an incomplete pass. Some officials use two thick rubber bands tied together as a down indicator. One rubber band is used as the wristband and the other is looped over the fingers.
Thus it is strategically important for kicking teams to get as close to the ball as possible after a punt, so that they may quickly tackle a returner, down the ball as close to the opposing team's end zone as possible, and (if possible) recover the ball after a fumble and regain possession of the ball.
Also referred to as Defensive Lineman, Defensive Tackle, Defensive End DOWN THE FIELD: In the direction of the opponents goal line.
DRAFT CHOICE: A player chosen by a professional sports team from a pool of college players in an annual draft.
The use of two crossing drag routes can also be used to try to create an open receiver by using the other receiver to block the path of a defensive back in a man coverage scheme.
The offensive linemen fake like they are going to pass-block, the quarterback drops back like he is going to throw a pass, but instead turns and hands the ball to a running back. The draw is a great play to call when the defense is applying a heavy pass rush. A draw is a type of play that "tricks" the defense into thinking a pass is being thrown, when in fact a running play has been called. The draw play can be considered the opposite of the play action pass. The idea behind a draw play is to attack aggressive, pass-rushing defenses by "drawing" them upfield, therefore leaving more room to run the ball. Draw plays are usually run out of the shotgun formation, but can also be run when the quarterback is under center. These types of draw plays are sometimes referred to as delayed handoffs.
A variation of this play is the quarterback draw, where the quarterback takes the snap, drops back to pass for a few moments, then runs upfield through the hole created by the linemen. 1. The series of plays a team puts together in an attempt to score. A continuous set of offensive plays gaining substantial yardage and several first downs, usually leading to a scoring opportunity. 2. A blocking technique - "drive block" - in which an offensive player through an advantaged angle or with assistance drive a defensive player out of position creating a hole for the ball carrier. DROP See Cut #2
Quarterbacks generally have a set number of steps they drop back on certain plays before setting up to throw the ball. DROPPED PASS Any incomplete pass which was catchable with normal effort. To determine if a pass was dropped, STATS compares and reviews the judgment of multiple reporters.
Other Noted African - American Coaches
DYNASTY LEAGUE (fantasy football term) A league in which you keep your entire roster from year to year. The next season a draft is held to improve your team. Usually the draft order is based on the previous year's finish. Dynasty leagues are a long term commitment.
Not all players on offense are entitled to receive a forward pass. Only an eligible pass receiver may legally catch a forward pass, or be more than five yards over the line of scrimmage on a forward passing play. If the pass is received by a non-eligible receiver, the penalty for ineligible receiver is assessed (the play is treated as an incomplete pass, unless the ball is downed behind the line of scrimmage - in either case a down is lost). If a non-eligible receiver is more than five yards downfield on a completed forward pass, the penalty assessed is "ineligible receiver downfield" (a loss of yardage, but not loss of down). Every player on the defensive team is considered eligible. The offensive team must have at least seven players lined up on the line of scrimmage. Of the players on the line of scrimmage, only the two players on the ends of the line of scrimmage are eligible receivers. The four remaining players in the backfield, excluding the quarterback, where a quarterback who takes the snap directly from the center is never eligible. However, a quarterback who receives a longer snap from the center, such as in a shotgun formation, is eligible even in the NFL. With the assignment of numbers to positions, a player who is not wearing a number that corresponds to an eligible receiver is not eligible even if he lines up in an eligible position. However, in the American game, a person who reports to the referee that he will be eligible on the play is allowed to line up and act as an eligible receiver. An example of this was a 1985 NFL game in which William Perry, wearing number 72 and normally a defensive lineman, was made an eligible receiver on an offensive play, and successfully caught a touchdown pass attempt. If, for example, eight men line up on the line of scrimmage, the team loses an eligible receiver. This can often happen when a flanker or slot receiver, who is supposed to line up behind the line of scrimmage, instead lines up on the line of scrimmage between the offensive line and a split end. In most cases where a pass is caught by an ineligible receiver, it is usually because the quarterback was under pressure and threw it to an offensive lineman out of desperation. Before the snap of the ball, eligible receivers may only move parallel to the line of scrimmage, only one eligible receiver may be in motion at any given time, and if forward motion has occurred, the receiver must be still for a full second before the snap. The receiver may be in motion laterally or away from the line of scrimmage at the snap. A breach of this rule results in a penalty for illegal procedure (five yards). The rules on eligible receivers only apply to forward passes, even those behind the line of scrimmage. However, any player may legally catch a backwards or lateral pass. Once the play has started, players can become ineligible and eligible depending on how the play develops. Any eligible receiver that goes out of bounds is no longer an eligible receiver and cannot receive a forward pass. Also, if a pass is touched by any eligible receiver (tipped by a defensive lineman, slips through a receiver's hands, etc) every player on the field immediately becomes eligible.
(Penalty 5 yards) - a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with a player, or has a unabated path to the quarterback, before the snap. Unlike the offsides penalty, this penalty immediately halts play: the referees blow the whistle, the clock stops, and the offense does not run a play. Referee signal: same as offsides. See official Signal
END AROUND a play, often confused with a reverse, where the quarterback hands the ball off to a wide receiver . The receiver motions/moves into the backfield as the ball is snapped to take the handoff and runs around the opposite end from where he lined up
A team scores a touchdown by entering their opponent's end zone while carrying the ball or catching the ball while being within the end zone. If the ball is carried by an offensive player, across the goal line, it is considered a score as soon as the ball crosses the imaginary vertical plane of the goal line, between the two sidelines. In addition, a two-point conversion may be scored after a touchdown by similar means. The end zone is 10 yards long by 53 and 1/3 yards wide
ERNEST NEVERS See Nevers, Ernest EXCESSIVE TIME OUTS: Calling a time out after having used the three allowed per half. The penalty for excessive time outs is five yards against the offending team and the clock is restarted. An Expansion Team is considered to be a brand new team in a sports league. The term comes from the fact that the league expands its presence into new cities. However, when an expansion team begins play, they are generally stocked with players who were rejected by the other existing teams. As a result, most expansion teams are known to be very awful during their first season, but some are known to even held a title (championship) in their league only a few years after their first season. Most teams are considered as an expansion team usually in their inaugural season and sometimes in their second season. Depending on the league and the situation, a team that moves to another location and/or changes its name are generally not considered an expansion team. EXTRA CONVERSION See Extra Points
The extra point, point after touchdown, or PAT is the act of lining up to kick, as in a field goal, immediately following a touchdown. If the kick goes through the uprights, the team gets an additional point for their touchdown, bringing their total for that score to 7. If more points are needed or desired, a two-point conversion may be attempted instead of the extra point kick.
(1) A protective covering for the face worn by players in football. The face mask, which is usually made of plastic or metal bars, attaches to the front of the helmet. There are two types of face masks, the open cage and the closed cage. The open cage usually is preferred by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backfield men because the open cagewith two or three horizontal bars and no vertical bar above the noseenables better visibility. The closed cage usually is the choice of linesmen because the closed cagevertical bar running the length of the mask over the nose with two, three, or four horizontal barshelps to keep other players' fingers and hands out of their eyes. In the 1970s, vinyl coating was layered onto the bars to protect against chipping and abrasions. Soon, colors were added to the face masks as another way to distinguish players and teams.
Penalty: Automatic 1st down see official signal There are actually two levels of severity for face mask penalties. One results from incidental grabbing of a face mask where it is immediately released, and results in a five-yard penalty. A major face mask foul usually results from a player grabbing an opponent by the face mask and using it to pull the player down or twist his head around and results in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
Also, players may not tackle the receiver making the fair catch. The primary reason for the fair catch rule is to protect the receiver. A receiver's attention is on the incoming punt and cannot focus on the defenders running towards him. He is quite vulnerable to injury and is also at risk for fumbling the kick if the punter intentionally makes a high short kick to allow defenders time to hit the receiver. The XFL removed the fair catch rule in an effort to make the game more "extreme." The XFL however, was not the only league to do so: Canadian football and Arena football also do not have fair catch rules.
A free kick
may be taken on the play immediately after any fair catch of a punt.
If the receiving team elects to attempt this and time expired during
the punt, the half is extended with an untimed down. The ball must be
held on the ground by a member of the kicking team; a tee may not be
used. This is both a field goal attempt and a free kick; if the ball
is kicked between the goal posts, three points are scored for the
kicking team. This is the only case where a free kick may score
points. This method of scoring is extremely rare; it is only
advantageous when as a team catches a very short punt with no time
left. Note that a team is unlikely to be punting with only a few
seconds left in a half, and it is rarer still for punts to be caught
near field goal range. A player signaling for a fair catch is not required to catch the ball; however, after making the signal, he may not initiate contact with any member of the kicking team until the ball is touched by another player. If he does he will be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the ball hits the ground or a member of the kicking team, the fair catch signal is off and rules for kicked balls apply. If the receiver "muffs" the ball (touches it, but then fails to field it cleanly), then the ball can be recovered by the kicking team. A "personal foul" for kick catch interference and a 15 yard penalty is called against the kicking team if a member violates the fair catcher's right to the ball. If the receiver attempts to advance the ball after signalling for a fair catch he is penalized five yards for "delay of game". A fair catch may be followed by a snap or a type of free kick the fair catch kick at his team's choice, and an expired playing period may be extended if the free kick is chosen. (The fair catch kick exists only in the NFL, having been abolished in college.) The fair catch signal can be used as a legal form of deception in the following instance: If the receiver has no intention of actually fielding the ball, but wishes it to roll in the end zone for a touchback, he may signal for a fair catch in front of where the ball will land, making the kicking team think it will not reach the end zone. Some fans see this as an abuse of the fair catch rule, and think that it should be amended to allow the kicking team to recover the ball at any point after it has touched the ground if a fair catch has been called for, which would force an end to this practice, but so far no rules committee will consider this argument. The officials' signal for a successful fair catch kick is the same as for a field goal. FAIR CATCH INTERFERENCE: A player may not interfere with a punt returner's opportunity to catch the football after having signaled for a fair catch. The penalty for fair catch interference is 15 yards against the offending team. FAIR CATCH KICK The fair catch kick is a little-known, rarely enacted rule found in professional and some amateur American football. It is one of the three types of free kicks; the other two are the kickoff and the safety kick. The fair catch kick is the only of the three in which the kicking team may score a field goal. At one time a very similar rule existed in rugby union called goal from mark. Fair catch kicks can only occur when a member of the receiving team signals for, and successfully makes, a fair catch. That team then has the option of restarting play either by snap or fair catch kick. If the team elects the fair catch kick option, the kicking team lines up at the spot where the fair catch was made and the opposing team lines up ten yards downfield. The kicker then may either placekick the ball from a teammate's hold (a kickoff tee may be used in high school) or dropkick the ball. Three points are awarded for kicking the ball through the uprights. If the kick does not go through the uprights, the ball is live, similar to either of the other free kicks. Likewise, a fair catch kick landing out of bounds but not in the end zone is awarded to the receiving team 30 yards from where it was kicked. In the NFL, a fair catch kick may still be attempted if the quarter ends on the fair catch play. This is not automatic; a team's captain or coach must exercise this option. This play is very rarely used. First of all, it is only allowed in the NFL, high school, and a few other levels of football. In the NFL, a rare combination of circumstances would make it plausible. As it will only happen after a punt or free kick, a fair catch tends to be taken too far from the goal for a kick to be successful (although, unlike a field goal attempt, the resulting kick is taken from the spot of the catch, not several yards back, and the defending team must stay 10 yards back before the kick.) Further, it is of most use to a team when there is not enough time to run a play from scrimmage, so is only likely to be seen when the punt would otherwise be the last play of a half or a game. Finally, at the end of a game it is only of use when the receiving team is 3 points or fewer behind, or the game is tied - if they need 4 or more points, they will try to run the ball back for a touchdown. If a team has a three point lead on fourth down with a few seconds left, they are more likely to run out the clock by having the punter run around the end zone and take an intentional safety than to risk a punt. In the rare circumstances when a punt is taken close to a team's own goal line with only a few seconds left in the half, sportscasters will sometimes mention the rule. However, punters, under those circumstances, will generally kick the ball away from the return man, most likely to frustrate a long return rather than to prevent a fair catch. Because a fair catch kick is rarely used, many players, coaches and fans don't know that the rule even exists. The last successful fair catch kick in the NFL was by Mac Percival in 1968, scoring the game-winning field goal for the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers. As of 2006, 8 more have been attempted, none successful. FAKE PUNT: On very rare occasions, a punting team will elect to attempt a "fake punt" that is line up in punt formation and begin the process as normal, but instead do one of the following:
Usually, teams will attempt a fake punt only in the rarest of situations: to keep a drive alive (particularly if a team is behind by one or more touchdowns and the team needs momentum), to expose a weakness in an opposing team's defense, or to catch the opponent's special teams unit off-guard and get an easy touchdown. The success rate of "fake punts" is low, which may explain why this play is seldom seen. FALCONS See Atlanta Falcons
A false start results in a five-yard penalty against the offending team. For offensive linemen, this movement might be as minute as a couple of centimeters. At the end of the 2005-2006 NFL season, owners complained regarding false start penalties on players whose flinches have little effect upon the start of the play, such as wide receivers. In response, the NFL competition committee has said that they plan to inflict less false start penalties on players who line up behind the line of scrimmage
Scoring systems vary among fantasy football leagues, but most are based on points accumulated by players based on their real-life performance in a game on the same day. A game which the players (owners) earn fantasy points for the statistical performances of the NFL players on their fantasy team. In most leagues, NFL players are assigned to teams via a draft. Usually, each player can only be on one team at a time and there are limits to the total number of players per team. The object of the game is to outscore your fantasy opponent (other owners) on a weekly basis, so that at the end of the fantasy season (depending on the league) you have the most points or the most wins (in a head to head league).
FantasyFootball.com FANTASY LEAGUE: A group of fantasy football teams that compete against one another for a league championship. Fantasy leagues range in size, generally from six to 16 teams, and the rules can vary greatly from one league to another.
FC An acronym for Fair
Catches - usually found in a Teams or Individual
Players STAT Reports
FF 1. An acronym
for Forced Fumbles
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports in DEFENSIVE MISC. STATISTICS FFB acronym for Fantasy Football FG An acronym for Field Goal - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports FGA An acronym for Field Goal Attempt - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports FIELD Click Here
Generally, teams will attempt field goals on fourth down when they feel they are within reasonable distance of the goalpost in the opponent's end zone.
A field goal is scored when the ball is kicked between the goal posts behind the opponent's end zone. The ball must first be snapped to a placeholder, who holds the ball upright on the ground with his fingertip so that it may be kicked. Three points are scored if the ball crosses the plane of the goal between the two upright posts and above the crossbar. If a field goal is missed, the ball is returned to the spot of the kick (in college, to the original line of scrimmage), and possession is given to the other team. If the ball does not go out of bounds, the other team may catch the kicked ball and attempt to advance it, but this is usually not advantageous. One official is positioned under each goalpost; if either one rules the field goal no good, then the field goal is unsuccessful. A successful field goal is signaled by an official extending both arms vertically above the head. A team that successfully kicks a field goal kicks off to the opposing team on the next play.
Click Here to see where The Field Judge is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge
FINS See Miami Dolphins
2 : a gain of a total of 10 or more yards within usually four downs giving the team the right to start a new series of downs
FIRST DOWN PERCENTAGE
The percentage of
relevant plays which resulted in first downs. FISH See Miami Dolphins
F-L An acronym for Fumbles-Lost - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
FLAG FOOTBALL: Similar to most other forms of football, but with typically six to nine players, with tackling not permitted. Instead, a flag carried on each side of the player's belt must be plucked to constitute a tackle.
See Slot Receiver Also known as a receiver
Running backs make a lot of their receptions in the flat on screen plays and swing passes.
A flea-flicker is an unorthodox play (often called a trick play) in American football. It is designed to fool the defensive team into thinking it is a running play instead of a passing play. After the snap, the quarterback hands off or laterals to a running back who then runs towards or parallel to the line of scrimmage. Before the running back gets to the line of scrimmage, he laterals back to the quarterback, who then looks for a receiver to throw the ball to. If the defensive players think it is just a normal running play, they will run upfield to try to tackle the running back, leaving the quarterback free from any immediate pass rush, and leaving receivers wide open to catch a pass. The flea flicker is an extremely high risk play, and the result of it is almost always either a big gain, a turnover, or a big loss. One problem is that it takes a significant amount of time for the play to develop. During that time, the defense might get past the offense's blockers to tackle the running back before he can make the pitch to the quarterback, or sack the quarterback before he can throw the ball. And there is also the risk the running back could fumble if he is hit as he pitches the ball.
Because of the risks it is rarely
used. However some flea flicker plays have been used in many key
National Football League games including the Super
Bowl. In Super Bowl XVII, the Washington Redskins used a flea
flicker to try to fool the Miami Dolphins. However the Dolphins were
not fooled;
Joe Theismann of the Washington
Redskins famously had his career come to an end on a nationally
televised Monday Night Football game at the hands of New York Giants linebacker
Lawrence Taylor, after a failed attempt at a flea flicker which
didn't fool the Giants' defense. Upon tackling Theismann,
An offensive alignment that utilizes a quarterback, five offensive lineman, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it features a quarterback under center with a fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback. There are two smaller running backs called slotbacks aligned behind the line of scrimmage on each side of the offensive line. The slotbacks are sometimes incorrectly referred to as wingbacks. But, in order to be a wingback, there must be a guard, tackle and tight end all on one side of the center on the line of scrimmage and then the wingback off the line of scrimmage. The basic play run from the flexbone is known as a triple option. First, the quarterback (QB) receives the football from the center and the fullback (FB) either takes the football from the quarterback or 'fakes' that he has taken the football. If the fullback takes the football, then he runs straight into the line of scrimmage and attempts to gain yardage. If the fullback does not take the football, then the quarterback sprints parallel to the line of scrimmage with a slotback trailing him. The quarterback can either turn up field or pitch the football to the trailing slotback. Hence the term triple because the fullback is option number one, the quarterback keeping the ball is option number two, and the quarterback pitching to the slotback is option number three. The triple option forces defenses to worry about fullbacks running in the middle of the offensive line and to worry about quarterbacks and slotbacks running to outside of the line. The decision of who to carry the ball (which option to make) can either be made before the play in the huddle, or during the play by the QB, who will make decisions based on the position and play of certain defensive players and what they are doing. For example, if the QB keeps the ball but a defender is coming after him, he will pitch to the slotback (or FB), but if the defender covers the possible pitch to the slotback, the QB will keep the ball, perhaps even faking a pitch.
FLOOD: An attempt to swamp the opposition or an area of the field with sheer numbers of players. A strategy used by offenses where they send more players to a particular area of the field than the opposition can effectively cover. Against zone defenses, an offense will flood a zone, forcing a defender to have to cover more than one player. F LOST abbreviation for fumbles lost FLY See Fly Route FLYER See Flier
Fly patterns can also be used to clear out space for other receivers. Generally, a fly pattern will draw the attention of both the cornerback assigned to the receiver as well as "over the top" help from a safety. This can create a large gap in coverage, allowing another receiver to run a shorter route, but then gain many yards after the catch because the safety committed to the deep man. The famed "Hail Mary" play generally involves between three and five receivers all running fly routes in order to have the most chance of one of them catching the ball and scoring or at least gaining significant yardage. The first Hail Mary was when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw it to wide receiver Drew Pearson in the NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings in 1975. FLYING ELVIS See New England Patriots FOOTBALL: A game played with a ball on a rectangular field, 100 yards in length, with goal lines and goal posts at either end. Opposing teams of 11 players each attempt to gain possession of the ball and advance it by means of running and passing plays across the opponent's goal line. A team doing so scores a touchdown, worth six points, and then has the opportunity to kick the ball over the goalpost crossbar for one extra point. A field goal -- a kick over the crossbar other than when after a touchdown - counts three points. See line of scrimmage, down, forward pass, kickoff, field goal, safety, touchback, touchdown, point after touchdown. Learn all about How To Play Footbal FOOTBALL GOAL: See Goal line
In 2002, American football equipment manufacturer Riddell released a new design of helmet called the Revolution [1]. The newer design was released in response to a study on concussions. The design is becoming more popular in the NFL and NCAA, being used by notables such as Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Casey Hampton, and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. The football helmet serves an aesthetic purpose as well. Because the helmet bears the team's logo, it serves as a trademark. Credit goes to the Los Angeles Rams as being the first football team to design graphics for their helmets.
FOUL ON LAST PLAY OF HALF OR GAME See Official Ruling
A downed linemen's stance with four points on the ground, in other words, his two feet and his two hands. In the four point stance the player places the second hand to the ground as well. The weight ratio between the hands and feet in the four point stance is 1-1. This stance is often used by linemen in obvious running downs to keep the line low and firing out at the opponent. It is also used by many power running teams as they pass very infrequently. It is difficult to pass block from the four point stance.
See Down FR An acronym for Fumbles Recovered - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The team often played a grueling
schedule of 15 to 20 games a season. Frequently, they would schedule
a home game on Saturday and an away game on Sunday of the same
weekend, due to On October 26, 1931, the franchise suspended operations one day after the team defeated the Chicago Bears 13-12 at Wrigley Field a result that ultimately took on some historical significance because it would be the last time the Philadelphia-based NFL team won an away game over the Bears until October 17, 1999, when the Philadelphia Eagles won 20-16 at Soldier Field (Philadelphia also went 51 years without a road victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles' 1979 win at Green Bay being the first since the Yellow Jackets had won there in 1928). Indeed, Bell and Wray reactivated the franchise on July 9, 1933 under the name "Philadelphia Eagles;" however, due to the gap in time between the Yellow Jackets' demise and the Eagles' birth (and the fact that virtually no players who were on the 1931 Yellow Jackets' roster also played for the 1933 Eagles), the NFL officially treats the two franchises as separate entities despite the commonality and continuity of their ownership.
A player whose contract with his most recent team has expired, allowing him to sign a new contract with any team that makes him an offer.
A free kick is a special play which does not occur from scrimmage. The kicking team begins behind the ball, while the receiving team must remain at least 10 yards downfield before the ball is kicked. A kickoff is a kind of free kick used to start each half, and also used to restart the game following a field goal or touchdown. At the beginning of a half, the kicking team is determined by coin toss. After a field goal or touchdown, the kicking team is the team which just scored. A tee is used, unless the ball is blown off the tee by winds twice in succession, in which case the ball must be held by a member of the kicking team. The receiving team may recover and attempt to advance the ball at any time after the kick, but the kicking team may not field the ball until it has traveled at least 10 yards. The ball is usually kicked as deep as possible to the receiving team, in order to force the receivers to start far down the field, but sometimes a team will attempt to recover its own short kick, in a play known as an onside kick. A free kick is also used to restart the game following a safety. The team that was trapped in its own end zone, therefore conceding two points to the other team, kicks the ball from its own 20-yard line. In this case, the free kick may be either punted or kicked from the ground, but a tee may not be used and the ball may not be held on the ground. In the NFL and high school, a free kick may be taken on the play immediately after a fair catch.
He has to roam way back and stay there most of the time, just in case somebody (or a group of somebodies) really screw things up in the front and his job is to make Absolutely Positively sure nobody's getting past him. YOU KNOW HE'S DOING HIS JOB WHEN: No matter what happens, by the time the free safety is involved, things mostly suck. If they suck bad, he may have helped keep it from sucking worse. YOU KNOW HE'S NOT WHEN: Things have gone from totally sucking to totally screwed. See Safety for full detail FREEZE: Holding onto the ball for along time without scoring or attempting to score, to freeze the ball. FRITZ POLLARD See Pollard, Fritz
Also Known As: defensive line
FROZEN NORTH See NFC North
The name derives from the fact that in an I formation the Fullback is the furthest back, or a full way back. See quarterback and halfback to further clarify. The second running back is called the Full Back. Well, all of these backs - the Quarter, the Half, and the Full - all stand behind the front scrimmage line. Hence, Back. Why the percentage prefixes? Well, there are four backs allowed on the field behind the line of scrimmage, and some genius decided to call the positions the Quarter-back, the Half-back, the Full-back and the Set-back. The-Full back is the big monster of the backs, and his job is mainly to make sure the Half-back gets his hole and can keep himself on his feet for as long as possible. Alternately, he becomes the last line of defense for the quarterback should one of those big neanderthals on the front line manage to break through and attempt to use the QB as a welcome mat. He's the bodyguard guy. Every now and then, you'll see him in a trick play as a receiver. See Backs for more detail
FUM An acronym
for Fumbles -
usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports for
A fumble occurs when an offensive player such as the quarterback or a running back drops the ball while it is still in play. A fumble may also be forced by a defensive player who either grabs or punches the ball or butts the ball with his helmet (a move called "tackling the ball"). A fumbled ball may be recovered and advanced by either team (except at the end of the game, when the original fumbler is the only offensive player permitted to touch the ball, and even he may not advance it). It is one of two events considered to be turnovers, where possession of the ball can change during play. Fumbles usually occur during the snap, while running the ball, or in a failed attempt at a lateral pass. Technically, however, if a player drops the ball while attempting to catch a lateral pass it is a muff (you can't "fumble" a loose ball). The result is the same and most announcers will still call it a fumble. Muffs also result when the ball is improperly fielded on kicking plays such as punts.
G An acronym for Games - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports GAMBLE (fantasy football term) A player with both high potential and high risk. Players in this category are usually injury-prone, have a high probability for being suspended, or are approaching the end of their career.
Colts head coach Tony Dungy
holds the game ball aloft after the team's 17-13 win over the Cardinals.
GARBAGE TIME also known as Junk time, is a term used to refer to the period of time at the end of a game when the outcome of the game has already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best players with substitutes. This serves to give those substitutes playing time experience in an actual game situation, as well as to protect the best players from the possibility of injury. GEORGE HALAS See Halas, George
GIANTS See New York Giants
G-MEN
The goal line is the chalked or painted line dividing the end zone from the field of play . If any part of the ball reaches any part of the imaginary vertical plane transected by this line while in-bounds and in possession of a player whose team is striving toward that end of the field, this is called a touchdown and scores six points for the team whose player has advanced the ball to, or recovered the ball in, this position. If any member of the offensive team is downed while in possession of the ball and at or behind the goal toward which the other team is striving, this is called a safety and scores two points for the defensive team. If, during the course of play, a loose ball travels past the goal line and is recovered within the end zone, then it is a touchdown if recovered by the team striving toward that goal, or a touchback if recovered and downed by the team striving toward the goal at the opposite end of the field.
A goal line stand usually refers to a team's effort that keeps the opposition out of the end zone after they have started with a first down inside the five-yard line.
Grange responded by scoring touchdowns the first four times
he touched the ball, in twelve minutes of the first quarter.
Grange returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, then
scored on 67, 56 and 44-yard runs from scrimmage - all in the first
12 minutes of the game. He ran for a fifth touchdown in the second
half and passed for a sixth score. All told, he accounted for 402
yards total offense as
After scoring three touchdowns in 21-21 tie with the
Already known as the "Galloping Ghost" and the
"Illinois Flash," Grange captained the Illini in 1925.
After the young team lost three of its first four games, he was moved
to quarterback
and An All-American for the third time, Grange left college immediately after his final game to tour with the Chicago Bears. He actually had a personal services contract for more than $100,000 with promoter Charles C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle, who in turn sold his services to the Bears.
The tour was not totally successful. Grange missed several games with
injury and played only briefly in several others. However, he
attracted 65,000 fans in
Pyle also got Grange a role in a football movie, One Minute to Play,
and Grange later did a vaudeville tour and two other movies. One of
Pyle's ambitions was to get a After sitting out the 1928 season, he joined the Bears in 1929 and played with them through 1934. No longer an outstanding runner, he was still a very good player, and a genuine defensive star. He was named to the first official All-Pro team chosen, in 1931, and was an All-Pro again in 1932. When the Bears beat the Portsmouth Spartans for the 1932 NFL championship, Grange scored the only touchdown on a pass from Bronko Nagurski. And he saved the 1933 championship game against the New York Giants. With the Bears leading 23-21 in the closing seconds, a Giant halfback broke loose and had a teammate trailing him, waiting for a lateral. Grange alertly pinioned the runner's arms to keep him from lateraling the ball and then threw him to the ground.
After missing the 1934 championship game with an injury, Grange
played in a post-season exhibition game on
The team currently holds the record for the most NFL league championships with 12: nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era, and Super Bowl XXXI. The team also holds the distinction of winning the first two AFL-NFL Championship Games that were held before the AFL-NFL Merger.
The Packers are now the only
publicly owned company with a board of directors in American
professional sports. Typically, a team is owned by one person,
partnership, or corporate entity; thus, a "team owner." It
has been speculated that this is one of the reasons the Green Bay
Packers have never been moved from the city of
Based on the original 'Articles of
Incorporation for the (then) Green Bay Football Corporation' put into
place in 1923, if the Packers franchise was sold, after the payment
of all expenses, any remaining monies would go to the Sullivan-Wallen
Post of the American Legion in order to build "a proper
soldier's memorial." This stipulation was enacted to ensure that
the club remained in
City:
Team Colors: Dark Green, Gold, and White Head Coach: Mike McCarthy Home fields:
Borchert Field (1933-1935) GRIDIRON: term for a football field. so called for its markings. Grs Avg An acronym for Gross Punting Average - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The guard's job is to protect the quarterback from the oncoming defensive line and linebackers during pass plays, as well as creating openings (holes) for the running backs to head through. Guards perform speed blocking and "pulling"--sprinting out in front of a running back in order to block for him. Guards are automatically considered ineligible receivers, so they cannot touch a pass, unless it is to recover a fumble or is first touched by a defender or eligible receiver. Guards, like other linemen, today are often over 300 pounds.
On either side of the Center are the right and left guards. They have two possible jobs, depending on the play. They can either bully a hole in the line of scrimmage for a running backs to run through, or they can turn into stone walls and simply keep the defensive guys from running through the center of the line to the quarterback. Preferably, they can do both at the same time. You know they're doing their job when: The quarterback is still standing at the end of the play, and, if one of the running backs tries to run the ball up the middle, there's a hole there for him to run through. You know they aren't when: The quarterback gets clobbered from the front, or the running back is stopped cold right at the line of scrimmage where the play started. (Or worse)
A player on the kick cover team that is the first down the field to make a play on the returner. GUY CHAMBERLIN See Chamberlin, Guy
In fact, using this new formation the Bears rolled up the largest margin of victory and the highest score in the history of professional football against the New York Giants in the 1940 championship game. The Bears won 73-0. This forever entrenched George Halas, or (Papa Bear), as he is affectionately known, as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, coach in the history of professional football.
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary play is a forward pass made in desperation, with only a very small chance of success. The typical Hail Mary is a very long forward pass thrown at or near the end of a half where there is no realistic possibility for any other play to work, though the most famous were thrown at the end of a game. The phrase derives from the name of a prominent Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary. The point is that the success of such a pass is so unlikely that it would need divine intervention to work.
Although a running back's primary role is to run with the football, he is also used as a receiver at times. Unless you're watching a very gifted team, you're probably seeing the ball being humped up the field by runners at least three times as much as you see it being plucked out of the sky. They call that "the ground game," and the half-back is one of the three guys that do it. In fact, the half-back (tail back) is the main guy who does it, and if your teams lucky enough to find a good one, he's going to rack up an obscene amount of carries per season. That's why he's called a "Running back." He runs. Also Known As: running back, tailback HALFBACK OPTION PLAY a trick play in which the halfback throws a pass. The halfback option play is an unorthodox play in American football. It resembles a normal running play, but the running back has the option to throw a pass to a wide receiver or tight end before crossing the line of scrimmage. The key to the play is fooling the defensive players, primarily the defensive backs. If the defensive backs think it is just a normal running play, they will first immediately run upfield to try to tackle the running back, leaving the wide receivers wide open to catch a pass. Of course, if the defensive backs are not fooled, the running back carrying the ball does have the option to run instead of risking an incomplete pass or an interception. The running play that halfback options usually resemble is a sweep play. Sometimes the quarterback will run out of the backfield and become a receiving option for the running back. This can be effective because the quarterback usually does very little after handing off or pitching the ball to the running back on most plays, and the defense might not be expecting him to be used as an active receiver. The halfback option play usually has limited success and is not commonly used.
Half-time for spectators offers the opportunity to visit the toilet, get some food or drink, or just exercise cramped limbs, without the fear of missing any of the action. A show may be put on for the spectators to keep their attention, most famously in the case of the American football Super Bowl. As many spectators at the ground may be otherwise occupied using stadium facilities it might be inferred that the scale and spectacle of half-time entertainment is more directly related to the size of the potential television audience. Half-time offers the opportunity to advertise, a valuable source of revenue for television companies. In addition, it allows analysis of the game so far by pundits. Controversial incidents or exceptional play may be highlighted at this time. It also allows viewers to catch up with any action that they may have missed.
HANDS TEAM A team of sure-handed players that specializes in recovering onside kicks. During an onside kick, both teams put in their hands teams so they have the players on the field with the best ball-handling skills. HANG TIME: the length of time a punt is in the air. HAROLD GRANGE See Grange, Harold HARRISON, MARVIN: Click here
On an NFL football field, the hash marks are 4 inches wide and located 70 feet, 9 inches from the sidelines.
An H-Back is an offensive position in American football that is a hybrid between a fullback and a tight end. One team that prominently utilizes the H-back position is the Washington Redskins under head coach Joe Gibbs, who is one of the first coaches to use the positions. Gibbs is credited for revolutionizing the position. Unlike the tight end, which Gibbs uses almost exclusively as an extra blocker on the offensive line, the H-back is asked to block, pass protect, and run receiving routes from multiple sets. The H-back can line up in the backfield, on the line, or is put into motion. On one play, he may be asked to serve as lead blocker for the tailback. The next, he may be sprinting 15 yards downfield to catch a pass. Due to the complexity of the position, a thorough knowledge of the offense is desirable in an H-back. HEAD COACH: The member of the coaching staff that is responsible for all aspects of the team, and is in charge of all other coaches. A professional who is responsible for the overall actions of the players of the team he is associated with. He is typically paid more than other coaches. Other coaches are often subordinate to the head coach, often in offensive positions or defensive positions, and occasionally proceeding down into individualized position coaches.
Click Here to see where The Linesman is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge
During his four-year career at Yale, the school won 54 games while losing only 2. There were no limits on eligibility at that time and a student newspaper led a campaign to get him to play a fifth season, using the slogan, "Linger, oh linger, Heffelfinger," but he chose to play for the Chicago Athletic Association instead.
On
Heffelfinger coached
At fifty-four,
Heffelfinger captained an all-star team that played a 1922 game
against the
John Heisman was a prominent American football player and college football coach in the early era of the sport and is the namesake of the Heisman Trophy awarded annually to the season's best college football player.
He was born in
In 1900, he went to
He went back to He was an innovator and developed one of the first shifts, had both guards pull to lead an end run, and had his center toss the ball back, instead of rolling or kicking it. He was a proponent of the legalization of the forward pass.
Heisman subsequently
became the athletics director of the former Downtown Athletic Club in John Heisman Quotes Don't cuss. Don't argue with the officials. Anddon't lose the game. To break training without permission is an act of treason. Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football. When in doubt, punt! When you find your opponent's weak spot, hammer it.
HELMET See Football Helmet
The practice of teams
producing highlight films appears to have emerged gradually during
the 1970s; a particularly notable offering of this genre was that of
the 1979 Dallas Cowboys; its title, Today virtually all American sports teams produce annual highlight films, regardless of the outcome (good or bad) of the club's season; originally turned out as video cassettes, they are more commonly now done in DVD format.
A Hitch route is a pattern run by a receiver where the receiver will act like he is running a pattern down field, taking possibly one or two steps forward before quickly stopping and looking for a quick pass before the defender has a chance to react and try to deflect the pass. This route can also be used in what is called a screen, where while the receiver is receiving the pass, one or more lineman, tight ends, or running backs will run in the direction of the receiver in order to block the initial pursuing defenders so that the receiver has time and space to be able to run after the catch.
The holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand furthest from the line of scrimmage on the ground with the other hand held out waiting for the ball to be snapped to him. After receiving the ball the holder places it on the ground, as quickly as possible, so that one end is touching the ground and the other end is supported by one finger. The holder also rotates the ball so that the laces are facing towards the goal posts. During a "fake field goal" attempt the holder will pick the ball up and either throw a forward pass or run with the ball. There can also be a holder during kickoffs and free kicks, but this is reserved for when the ball tee cannot keep the ball up by itself, usually due to wind.
There is illegal use of the hands or arms while blocking, usually a grasp or a tackle of a defending player; an automatic safety is assessed if the spot of the infraction is within the offensive team's own end zone. Referee signal: one forearm vertically held in front of the body with a closed fist facing the referee's chest; the other hand grasping the first arm's wrist. The penalty is enforced from the previous spot, unless the infraction occurred beyond the line of scrimage or during a running play, in which the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. Or, when a player on offense commits an illegal block, such as if...
See Running Lane HOLE NUMBER: A number assigned to each gap or space between the five offensive linemen and the tight end. See Running Lane
What some believe should have been called an incomplete pass (and possibly intentional grounding) was seen as a fumble and the rest of the play involved illegal batting of the ball. The officials did not think the illegal actions were obvious enough to call a penalty so the play ended in a touchdown.
With 10 seconds left in the
game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers 14-yard
line, trailing 20-14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler took the snap
and found himself about to be sacked by Chargers linebacker Woody
Lowe on the 24-yard line. Stabler lost the ball, and it rolled
forward towards the
During the play, the game
officials ruled that Banaszak and
However, when asked after the
game by radio announcer Bill King if he intentionally fumbled,
Stabler said, "You bet your ass I did." Banaszak and HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: the benefit a team gets by playing games in the area where it is based, due to fan support (noise), familiarity with its surroundings and the lack of required travel. HOME GAME: a game played in a teams own stadium. HOTDOG: A player who uses theatrics and "hams it up" for the camera. *Bengals receiver, Chad Johnson to name one
The Houston Texans
American football club is a National Football League team based in
Year founded: 2002
City:
Uniform colors:
Steel blue,
Helmet design: Blue
helmet with a bull head in the red, white, and blue colors of the Head Coach: Gary Kubiak
Hunt, the pro sports
visionary who was the founder and owned the Kansas City Chiefs and
came up with the term "Super Bowl," one of
Hunt is one of the
most influential sports promoters in the Founding of the American Football League Hunt applied for an National Football League expansion franchise but was turned down. In 1959, professional football was a distant second to Major League baseball in popularity and the thinking among NFL executives was that the league must be careful not to "oversaturate" the market by expanding too quickly.
In response, in 1960
Hunt led several other investors in forming the AFL. Hunt encouraged,
wheedled, and cajoled seven other like-minded men to form this new
league. One of them, fellow Texan Bud Adams of HURRY Occurs when a defense's on-coming rush forces the quarterback to throw before he intended to, throw erratically or off target.
The hurry-up offense, or two-minute drill, is an American football offensive strategy designed to run a series of plays quickly and efficiently using as little of the time remaining as possible. Very few rushing plays are called and most passing plays are designed to be out patterns, towards the sideline so the receiver can get out of bounds. Typically a play will last between 3 and 7 seconds in a hurry-up offense. Plays can be from either a practiced script, called in from the sideline, or called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage depending on the situation. If a defense has adjusted to an offense's gameplan well all night, plays may be called in from the sideline ad-lib to better gain the advantage over a defense that was prepared against what the offense was trying to do. If a defense has not adjusted well all game, a coach may opt to run the practiced two-minute drill done in practice throughout the week. The hurry-up is sometimes called a no-huddle offense, though the no-huddle is properly a subset of hurry-up offenses. The hurry-up offense revolves around strategic management of the remaining time of the game clock. There are a number of techniques used to stop the clock from running down:
Drawing penalties or intentional fouls (it should be noted that this is not always smart. If there are only a few seconds left on the clock and someone on a team with no time-outs purposely commits a penalty, there is a 10-second run-off). Creating penalties by starting plays as the defense is still switching out players, and has the wrong number of players on the field. The Indianapolis Colts are notorious for this kind of offense.
I20 abbreviation for inside the 20 (found in STAT records) IDP acronym for Individual Defensive Player I FORMATION: An offensive formation that looks like an I because the two running backs line up directly behind the quarterback. On short yardage plays, teams often run out of the I-formation. The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical (as viewed from the opposing endzone) alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the now-archaic T formation. The formation begins with the usual 5 offensive linemen (2 offensive tackles, 2 guards, and a center), the quarterback under center, and two backs in-line behind the quarterback. The base variant adds a tight end to one side of the line and two wide receivers, one at each end of the line. The I formation is typically employed in running situations. Despite the emphasis on the running game, the I formation remains an effective base for a passing attack. The formation supports up to three wide receivers and many running backs serve as an additional receiving threat. While the fullback is rarely a pass receiver, he serves as a capable additional pass blocker protecting the quarterback before the pass. The running threat posed by the formation also lends itself to the play-action pass. The flexible nature of the formation also helps prevent defenses from focusing their attention on either the run or pass. Common variations Many subtypes of the I formation exist, generally emphasizing the running or passing strengths of the base version.
The I formation, in any variant, can also be modified as Strong or Weak. In either case, the fullback lines up roughly a yard laterally to his usual position. Strong refers to a move towards the side of the quarterback with more players, weak in the opposite direction. These modifications have little effect on expected play call. In the NFL, the I formation is less frequently used than in college. The increasingly common Ace Formation replaces the fullback with an additional receiver, who lines up along the line of scrimmage. The I will typically be used in short-yardage and goal line situations.
IGGLES
See
Referee signal: One arm in front of the body with palm out and fingers up, moved in a pushing motion out.
Fewer than 7 players on the line of scrimmage (or more than 7 in NFL), fails to have an eligible receiver as the leftmost and rightmost players on the line in the NFL, or fails to have five properly numbered ineligible players on the line. By rule, an NFL team must have seven men lined up on the line of scrimmage to begin every offensive play. Failure to do so is an illegal formation and a five-yard penalty against the offending team. ILLEGAL FORWARD KICK any kick made from in front of the line of scrimmage. This results in a loss of down and a ten yard penalty. It is the least called penalty in the National Football League
Referee signal: One hand, flat, waved behind the small of the back.
Referee signal: One open fist in a pushing motion to the referee's chin.
Referee signal: One arm in front of chest, palm open and down, with the elbow out to the side, moved away from chest. Illegal motion results in a five yard penalty against the offending team.
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Football Terminology
Last updated on December
28, 2006 Ever wonder what it is that the TV Announcers and other people are referring to when they are talking football? Learn all the football and NFL lingo here.
You can also search this entire
website for a word or phrase by going here and entering your text If there is a word you can not find, contact us and we will inform you and post it here on this page. If you should find an error with one of our definitions - PLEASE inform us so that we may correct it! Thank you!
+ abbreviation for yards gained - abbreviation for yards lost % ATTAn acronym for Percentage of Attempts - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports % AVERAGE THROW The average distance between the line of scrimmage and the intended receiver on pass attempts. % INC An acronym for Percentage of Incompletions - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 0-9 n-m defense a defense with n down linemen and m linebackers, such as:
1Ds abbreviation for first downs (found in STAT records) 1st An acronym for First Down - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 1st % An acronym for First Down Percentage - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports 12th MAN See Twelth Man 2PT abbreviation for 2 point conversions (found in STAT records) 2 POINT CONVERSION: See Two Point Conversion 3 AND OUT See Three And Out
3-4 DEFENSE a
basic defensive
formation
that is used by several NFL teams. Bud
Wilkenson
devised the alignment at the
You have two defensive ends (DE), one on each end of the line, and one nose tackle (NT) in between. Right behind the defensive line are four linebackers (LB). At times, one or more of the linebackers will line up on the line of scrimmage. Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact positioning of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. The 3-4 Eagle defense evolved from Buddy Ryan's 46 defense and Fritz Shurmur first unveiled it with the Los Angeles Rams in the early 1980s. The alignment is basically the same as a normal 3-4, but a linebacker is inserted in the nose tackle's spot, leaving the formation with just two linemen and five linebackers.
In this formation, you have just two defensive linemen on the field, normally defensive tackles (DT). In the middle of the line, where the nose tackle would normally be, is a linebacker (LB). Two more linebackers line up as ends, outside the defensive tackles. The last two linebackers line up behind the defensive line. Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact positioning of the defensive backs(cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 3 POINT STANCE: See three Point Stance 33 STACK See 3-3-5 DEFENSE 3 YARDS AND A CLOUD OF DUST See Power Football
4-3 DEFENSE a defensive formation with 4 linemen and 3 linebackers. Several variations are employed. First used by coach Joe Kuharich. The 4-3 defense is a basic defensive formation that is widely used today. The alignment features four down lineman and three linebackers in the front seven, thus the name 4-3.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 4-3 DEfENSE OVER/UNDER See Over/Under 4-3 Defense The 4-4 defense is a basic defensive formation in the game of football. The alignment features four down lineman and four linebackers, thus the name 4-4.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There is just one safety. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safety) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in.
46 DEFENSE (pronounced forty-six defense) a formation of the 4-3 defense (four linemen and three linebackers) in which three defensive backs(the two cornerbacks and the strong safety) crowd the line of scrimmage. The remaining safety, which is the free safety, stays in the backfield. It is also known as the "Bear" defense because it was popularized by Buddy Ryan while coaching for the Chicago Bears. The 46 Defense designed by Buddy Ryan at the Chicago Bears and named after the jersey number of Doug Plank, generally it has more than the normal number of pass rushers and the pass defenders are in man pass coverage 49ERS See San Francisco 49ers 4 LOSS abbreviation for tackles for losses (found in STAT records)
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties.
The exact position of
the defensive
backs
(cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they
are in. The 6-1 defense is a variation of the 4-3 formation. The alignment features four downed linemen and three linebackers in the front seven, but two linebackers move up on the defensive line, putting a total of six defenders on the line. If you take a look at the illustration on the right, you will see a diagram outlining the 6-1 defense. The Os in the diagram represent offensive players while the Xs represent the placement of the defensive players.
Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in. 8 IN THE BOX See Eight In The Box
A/G abbreviation for assists per game (found in STAT records)
A acronym
for 1. A GAP
This formation has gained popularity in the NFL as teams have started trading out a fullback, or blocking back, in favor of another wide receiver or tight end who is usually faster and better able to receive the ball, while still helping the run game with down-field blocks. The effectiveness of the formation is further increased if the team has athletic tight ends with good hands, thereby increasing the versatility of the formation. It is, moreover, good for bootlegs and reverses. Single-back offenses have gained popularity due to zone blocking and advanced defenses. There are several combinations of single back formations that are used in Division 1 and NFL football. Speed offenses will use single back because the defense still has to respect the run out of these formations since you can line up many tight ends and still have a down field running game. Single back offenses create match-up problems in the defense. Linebackers will often have to cover receivers in passing routes while defensive safeties are used more to come up and stop the run on the line of scrimmage. Teams that run a single-back offense typically rely on quick receivers that run great routes, balanced tight ends (blocking/receiving), intelligent, shifty running backs, fast and intelligent offensive lineman, and a quarterback that can read defenses and make safe throws under pressure. Single-back offenses are more common in the NFL than in college or high school. ADJUSTMENT change in the approach of a team or player during a game as a result of less than satisfactory success with the original approach; also changing defensive alignment in response to offensive shifts or motions; the ability to make during-game adjustments is a must for all football coaches; many who do well in the first half but not the second are manifesting an inability to make appropriate adjustments definition ADP acronym for Average Draft Position (fantasy football term) AFL An acronym for either the American Football League or the Arena Football League.
The AFL (Arena
Football League) is similar to the NFL, but is played
indoors on a smaller field.
The AFC currently consists of 16 teams, organized into four divisions (North, South, East, and West) of four teams each. Each team plays the other teams in their division twice (home & away) during the regular season in addition to 10 other games/teams assigned to their schedule by the NFL the previous May. Two of these games are assigned on the basis of the team's final record in the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions. This assignment shifts each year. For instance, in the 2005 regular season, each team in the NFC East will play a game apiece against each team in both the AFC West and the NFC West. In this way division competition consists of common opponents, with the exception of the 2 games assigned on the strength of each team's prior season record. The NFC operates according to the same system. At the end of each football season, there are playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC (the four division champions by place standing and the top two remaining non-division-champion teams ("wildcards") by record). The last two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game with the winner receiving the Lamar Hunt Trophy. The AFC champion plays the NFC champion in the Super Bowl.
It began in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The AFC was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-Baltimore Colts, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Playoff Structure For more details on this topic, see NFL playoffs. At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game.
AGILLITIES
short for agility drills; drills commonly used by
position coaches during the 10- to 20-minute position-coach period at
the beginning of most football practices; the theory behind them is
that agility is a desirable football skill and agility drills make
players more agile; I do not believe the drills make players better
at football to any significant degree; rather, they make the players
better at doing the agility drill in question; I would appreciate
hearing about any scientific study that proves any football agility
drill pays a game-day dividend worth the practice time it takes; I
suspect the real reasons for the widespread use of agility drills are
they fill practice time and look footballish, that's the way it's
always been done, the logic that agility drills increase agility
seems correct, a number of companies make and/or sell products for
agility drills and therefore have financial incentive to encourage
belief in their efficacy, many coaches are afraid to deviate from
football group norms because it increases the probability they will
be blamed for losses; doing the same as every other coach enables
coaches to subtly blame the players for losses, e.g. "someone
needed to make a play but no one did;" I believe that agilities
should never be used and that the practice time saved is far better
spent on learning assignments, blocking techniques, practicing
reading defenders and throwing passes, option reads, and so forth;
carioca is an agility drill, as are running through tires (now ropes
or a ladder), running around large hoops on the ground, etc.; may be
the best you can do at the college level in the off-season when more
productive activities are prohibited by rule AIR CORYELL The "Air Coryell" Offense was originated by Don Coryell and adopted by his assistant coaches including Joe Gibbs, Jim Hanifan, and Ernie Zampese. The offense features a power running game similar to that of former University of Southern California head coach John McKay. What has made this offense popular is the ability to stretch the field vertically with the passing game and its numbered pass routes. The Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and the University of Maryland are among those who run this type of offense.
AIR RAID an
offensive philosophy derived from
the West Coast Offense but adapted to
the shotgun formation. In this offense
the running game is heavily de-emphasized while the quick pass,
medium pass, and screen game are highly developed.
The Akron Pros were a National
Football League team that played in The team started out in 1916 as the Akron Burkhardts, named after a local family of brewers that sponsored the team. As from 1917 the team competed as the Akron Pros. The Pros became a charter member of the NFL (then known as the American Professional Football Association) in 1920 and won the first ever league title.
Fritz Pollard,
the first African-American head coach in the NFL, co-coached the Pros
in 1921. In 1926, the name was changed to the Akron Indians, which
had been an earlier
ALL PRO An All Pro Player is any NFL player who has been selected and appeared in an NFL Pro Bowl Game.
The Arizona Cardinals American
football club is a Phoenix, Arizona-based National Football League
team. In 2006, the club will move to the new Cardinals Stadium in the
suburb of
The Cardinals
are the oldest existing American football club in the After becoming a charter member of the NFL in 1920, the club was renamed the Chicago Cardinals. In 1932, Charles W. Bidwill bought the Cardinals. The Bidwills still own the team. (Charles' son, William V. Bidwill, now operates the team.) Bidwill kept the team going through the Depression and World War II, and finally managed to put together a winning unit just as the war ended. Bidwill's building program produced a team that won the NFL championship in 1947. The Cardinals' 28-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1947 championship game still stands as the team's last playoff victory.
The Cardinals moved to The Cardinals have won NFL Championships in 1925 and 1947. But the team has not won a league title since then, and thus currently holds the record for the longest championship drought (period of not winning) in NFL history.
City:
Team Colors: Cardinal Red, Black, and White Head Coach: Dennis Green
Helmet design:
White with a cardinal head Home fields Since 1920
Normal Field (1920-1921), (1926-1928) Sun Devil Stadium (1988-2005) * Cardinals Stadium (scheduled to open in 2006)
Each NFL team generally has assistant coaches for offense and defense, as well more specialized areas like quarterbacks and linebackers.
AST An acronym
for Assisted tackles
usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The advantage of AstroTurf turf over grass turf is quite evident: an artificial turf requires minimal maintenance. It is also ideal for indoor stadiums, since it does not require sunlight. However, an AstroTurf surface is much harder than one of natural grass. Players describe the impact as similar to falling on concrete (Vince Lombardi called AstroTurf "fuzzy cement"). Players' cleats can get caught in the turf, which does not give the way grass and dirt does, causing the injury known as "turf toe". AstroTurf turf is being replaced in many stadiums with newer types of artificial turf - two common brands of this new generation being FieldTurf and Sport Grass. These materials have properties much closer to natural grass turf. AstroTurf's version of this new artificial grass was called AstroPlay, but in 2004, Southwest Recreational Industries, who held the rights to making AstroTurf, went out of business after filing for bankruptcy. It is now sold by AstroTurf, LLC. AstroTurf is a registered trademark of Textile Management Associates, applied to a particular kind of artificial turf. AstroTurf turf was invented in 1965 by employees of Monsanto, patented in 1967, and originally sold under the name "Chemgrass." It was renamed AstroTurf after its first well-publicised use at the Houston Astrodome stadium.
The Atlanta Falcons American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: Jim L. Mora Team colors: Home jerseys are red and white with white letters and black trim. Away jerseys are white with black letters and red trim. Helmet design: Black with a black face mask and a red and black falcon logo with a grey and white border on both sides, which forms the shape of an F. Unofficial Nickname(s): "Dirty Birds" (The team's nickname during their 1998-99 NFC Championship season) Home fields:
ATS An acronym for Record Against The Spread
AUCTION DRAFT (fantasy football term) A type of fantasy draft in which owners are allotted a certain amount of fantasy cash to fill their roster spots by bidding on NFL players. Owners take turns introducing an opening bid for a player.
An audible is often called by the quarterback when he doesn't like the play call after getting a look at the defensive formation. Also known as Automatic AUTOMATIC: See audible
AVERAGE DRAFT POSITION (fantasy football term) A report that lists NFL players by the position they were drafted in fantasy football drafts on average. The source can be mock drafts or real ones. ADP is a useful draft preparation tool.
B acronym for Back Judge (Official)
A back generally lines up in the offensive backfield, but will occasionally split out as a receiver.
BACK JUDGE: (B or BJ) The official who sets up 20 yards deep in the defensive backfield on the wide receiver side of the field. His duties include:
Click Here to see where The Back Judge is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge BACKUP A player who does not start the game, but comes in later in relief of a starter. BACKWARD PASS See Lateral Pass BADGERS See Milwaukee Badgers
BALL Click Here
A ball carrier is generally a running back, wide receiver, or quarterback, but can include any player that happens to legally end up with the football in his hands. In 1953, Carroll Rosenbloom became the principal owner of the new NFL Baltimore Colts. In 1958, coached by Hall of Famer Weeb Ewbank and led by Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts defeated the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium 23-17 in the NFL championship game, an overtime contest sometimes called "The Greatest Game Ever Played."
The original incarnation of the
Baltimore Colts started in the All-America Football Conference in
1946 as the Miami Seahawks. After a 3-11 season, they moved to
Due to financial difficulties after
the 1-11 losing season, Colts owner Abraham Watner gave his team and
its players contracts back to the NFL for $50,000. But many
Faced with the aforementioned
competitive difficulties and wanting a new stadium, team owner Robert
Irsay moved the team to Meanwhile, most of the prominent old-time former Baltimore Colts players disassociated themselves from the team, and instead started to attend events of the Baltimore Ravens team that began play in 1996.
Many
The Baltimore Ravens American
football club is a National Football League team based in
The history of the Baltimore Ravens
is unusual due to the unprecedented actions taken by the cities of
Baltimore and For that reason, past records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. For more information on the move, see Cleveland Browns
However, some consider the Ravens
and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continuous entity, using
the term The Modell Franchise to denote it. Also, many
City: Head Coach: Brian Billick Team Colors: Black, Purple, and Metallic Gold Uniform colors: Black, Purple, Metallic Gold, and White. (The primary home uniform is a purple jersey and white pants. Traditional away gear (also worn at home during late summer day games, but mostly on the road, are white jersies and white pants. In 2004, the team introduced an alternate attire of black jersey and black pants for select prime-time national game broadcasts.)
Helmet design:
A black helmet with a purple and black raven's head in profile, with
the letter "B" superimposed in metallic gold and white.
Purple "talons" rise up from the facemask up the center of
the helmet. Home fields
Memorial Stadium (
Blue for NFL BEARS See Chicago Bears BEAT: when a player gets past an opponent trying to block or tackle him. BENGALS See Cincinnati Bengals
Big An acronym for Big Plays - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
See I Formation BIG BLUE See New York Giants BIG PASS PLAY Any pass completion that gains 25 or more yards. BIG RUNNING PLAY Any running play that gains 10 or more yards. BILLS See Buffalo Bills
BIRDS See Philadelphia Eagles BJ acronym for Back Judge (Official)
BK An acronym
for Blocked kicks
(both punts and field goals attempts)
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
A defensive strategy in which a linebacker or defensive back vacates his normal responsibilities in order to pressure the quarterback. The object of a blitz is to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage or force the quarterback to hurry his pass. When a defensive line is having trouble putting pressure on the quarterback, the defensive coordinator may decide to help them out by sending one or more linebackers or defensive backs on a blitz. The most common blitzes are linebacker blitzes. Safety blitzes, when a safety (usually the free safety) is sent, and corner blitzes, where a cornerback is sent, are less common. Sending a defensive back on a blitz is even more risky than a linebacker blitz, as it removes a primary pass defender from the coverage scheme, but is also less likely to be picked up by the offensive teams blockers.
History of The Blitz Don Ettinger, a defensive tackles for the New York Giants, invented the blitz during his brief NFL career (1948 - 1950). Larry Wilson, free safety for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1960 to 1972, pioneered and perfected the safety blitz, a play originally code-named "Wildcat". Defensive coordinator Chuck Drulis is widely credited with inventing the safety blitz. Also known as quarterback rush or red dogging. Related Terms: Zone Blitz BLITZ EFFICIENCY Measures the defensive effectiveness of the blitz. To figure this rating add the number of sacks, stuffs, poor throws, quarterback knockdowns, batted passes, passes thrown away, passes caught out of bounds, and passes dropped as a result of miscommunication between receiver and quarterback generated by a team's defense, then divide by total number of blitzes. BLK An acronym for Blocked - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
Referee signal: both hands brought down, wrists turned inward, in a chopping motion across the front of the thighs. BLOCKING SLED a heavy piece of practice equipment, usually a padded angular frame on metal skids, used for developing strength and blocking techniques BOB IRSAY See Irsay, Robert
A bootleg is often used against a defense that is overpursuing the ball carrier. See Bootleg Play
The quarterback can be accompanied by an offensive lineman to block for him, or run without a blocker, which is known as a naked bootleg. More complex versions involve multiple offensive linemen moving with the quarterback to block and multiple false hand offs; one such variation is known as a rollout. After escaping the area behind the offensive line, the quarterback may either throw a pass downfield or run with the ball himself to gain yards. A bootleg is called to confuse the defense, by moving the quarterback away from where they expect him to be, directly behind the center. The quarterback's motion may also attract the attention of the defensive backs, allowing one of the receivers to become uncovered. The play is typically used by teams with mobile, or fast, quarterbacks, such as Michael Vick, Steve Young, and Randall Cunningham. The names comes from the fact that on a play action the quarterback often hides the ball from the defense by his thigh to make the run look more convincing. This is similar to the way bootleggers would hide whiskey in their trousers during prohibition. BOLTS See San Diago Chargers
In college football, bowl games are played in leiu of a playoff system such as the NFL uses. There are numerous bowl games every year, and a national champion is crowned by matching up the No.1 and No.2 ranked teams in a championship bowl game. BOSTON BULLDOGS See Pottsville Maroons BOX see The Box
BP An
acronym for Blocked
punts - usually found in a
Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
High/low coverage involves one defensive player staying between the line of scrimmage and the receiver, protecting against short passes, and another defender playing behind the receiver to protect from deep routes. Skilled personnel can beat this coverage, however, based on running a route that breaks to the inside. On an "in" route the receiver makes a near-90 degree turn to the inside of the field and uses his speed to get away from the underneath defender. A higher-difficulty option is the "post" or "skinny post" route, which involves a turn of 30-60 degrees to the inside. The receiver again uses his speed to separate from the defender playing underneath, and the quarterback must deliver the ball over this defender and far enough inside that the defender protecting against deep passes cannot come down/across the flight path of the ball and deflect or intercept it. Though the difficulty on this pass is much higher, its success will gain many more yards. In/out coverage is a scheme where one defender protects against routes run to the inside and another protects against routes to the outside. The easiest way to beat this coverage is a simple "go"/streak route: the receiver simply sprints down the field past the defenders. Any hesitation on the defenders' part to drop their coverage assignment and run with the streaking receiver can be exploited. BRONCOS See Denver Broncos
In the months before the regular season began, both leagues battled with each other for fan support and the right to play at Ebbets Field. The NFL emerged as the winner, as the Lions signed the lease to use the stadium on July 20. Neither the Lions or the Horseman had much success. In fact, both teams merged just after four games into the regular season. The team finished the NFL season as the Brooklyn Lions. But both the Lions and the Horsemen folded following the season. BROWNS See Cleveland Browns BrUp abbreviation for broken up passes (found in STAT records) BT An acronym for Broken Tackles - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports BT% An acronym for Broken Tackles Percentage - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
A play usually run from a wing-t formation that includes a variety of play fakes. The quarterback takes the snap and fakes trap to the fullback. He then hands off to a halfback or wingback, who runs to the outside. The buck sweep is normally blocked by pulling the playside gaurd to kickout the force defender, and the backside gaurd pulling and turning up on the playsided linebacker. This allows for the other linemen to downblock on the other defenders, giving the offense an advantage when it comes to blocking angles. The buck sweep also provides an advantage in the possibilities off of its action, with the fullback trap before the sweep, the waggle pass or bootleg after it, and the sweep itself. BUD WILKINSON See Wilkinson Bud
The Buffalo Bills American football
club is a Buffalo, New York-based National Football League team which
plays its home games in the suburb of The Bills won two consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. The club is also the first team to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls, but they lost all of them. Year founded: 1960
City: Head Coach: Dick Jauron Team Colors: Dark Navy, Red, Royal, Nickel, and White Uniform colors: 19601961: Light blue and white; 1962Present: Red, white and blue
Helmet design:
19601961: Silver with blue side numerals; 19621964: White with red
center stripe and red stationary bison; 19651973: White with red and
blue center stripes and red standing bison; 19741983: White with red
and blue center stripes and blue charging bison with a red slanting
stripe streaming from its horn; Home fields
War Memorial Stadium (1960-1972) BULLDOGS See Canton Bulldogs or Boston Bulldogs or Cleveland Bulldogs
This varies from the more traditional defensive formation in which a defensive player will give the receiver a "cushion" of about 5 yards in order to prevent the receiver from getting behind them. This tactic is possible because of the rule allowing defensive players to initiate contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage BUST (fantasy football term) A player, usually drafted in the first three rounds of a fantasy draft, who is predicted to have a poor season. The player might be injury-prone, have a future star behind them in the depth chart, or just won't be able to live up to their hype
For a buttonhook to be effective, the receiver must convince the defensive back covering him that he is going to continue his pattern downfield.
CALL A PLAY: instruct players to execute a pre-planned play.
Similar to American football, but with some differences, including different field size and scoring.
Jim Thorpe
was
CARDINALS See Arizona Cardinals CARDS: Short for Cardinals See Arizona Cardinals
The Carolina Panthers American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: John Fox Uniform colors: Black, Panther Blue, Silver, and White Helmet design: Silver helmet, a black snarling panther outlined in blue Nickname: The Cardiac Cats Home fields:
Memorial Stadium,
Clemson (1995)
Preceded by: Jim
Thorpe CARROLL ROSENBLOOM See Rosenbloom. Carroll
After snapping the football, the center must be ready to block the defensive linemen. The center is at the center of the offensive line, and it is the center who snaps the ball between his legs to the quarterback at the start of each play. On most plays, the center will snap the ball directly to the quarterback's hands. In a shotgun formation, the center snaps the ball to the quarterback lined up several yards behind him. Before the snap, the center will often be responsible for making calls to adjust the blocking assignments of all the offensive linemen. After the snap, the center must block defensive players from reaching the ball carrier (on running plays) or the quarterback (on passing plays). On passing plays in particular, the center often must block blitzing defensive players. In special teams situations, the center is referred to as a "long snapper," who snaps the ball with two hands to a punter standing approximately 12-14 yards behind him, or to the holder for the placekicker, kneeling approximately 7 yards behind him. These long snappers are often players particularly talented at performing these snaps, and are not necessarily the same center used on other plays. In fact, professional football teams may carry a player on their roster for the sole or primary purpose of long snapping. The Center for The Indianapolis Colts is Jeff Saturday
The chain gang brings the chains onto the field for measurements on plays that end too close to the first down for the officials to make a determination by simply comparing the spot of the ball with the marker on the sideline. The chains are brought out to give an exact measurement from the spot where the series started. The Chain Crew are assistants to the referee who handle the first down measuring chain and the down indicator box. The members of the chain crew who operate the measuring chain are called rod men and the person who works the down indicator box is called the box man.
When a team gains a first down, one of the rod men places one end of the chain on the sideline parallel to the spot of the ball. The other rod man then stretches the chain out to mark the first down line. To ensure an accurate measurement, a clip is usually attached to the chain on the closest 5-yard mark on the field. The chains will be brought directly onto the field whenever the referee needs an accurate measurement to determine if a first down has been made. A team may also request an accurate measurement to determine how far they have to reach for the first down. For professional and college football games, an auxiliary chain crew operates on the opposite side of the field. Here, another "stick" and down indicator box is used so that players and officials can also look at the other side of the field to know where the first down line and the line of scrimmage is, respectively. The auxiliary chain crew also includes the drive start indicator, which is placed at the beginning of a team's drive and stays there until they lose possession. This indicator is only used for statistical purposes to calculate the distance of each drive. It looks similar to a "stick", but it has an arrow that points in the direction to where the offensive team is going. Members of the chain crew are usually picked by the offices of the home team instead of the league or conference that they play in.
He served in World War I and then played pro football for eight years, from 1920-27. George Halas called him the greatest two-way end in the history of the game. He stood 6- 1, weighed 200, and was outstanding on offense and defense. For six of his pro years he was player-coach.
He went
back to
CHARGERS See San Diago Chargers CHARLES BURNHAM WILKINSON See Wilkinson Bud
A check off is often called by the quarterback when he doesn't like the play call after getting a look at the defensive formation Also Known As: audible, automatic
Cheerleading is an activity that uses organized routines made up of elements from dance and/or gymnastics to cheer on sports teams at games and matches, and/or as a competitive sport. Cheerleaders are present at all NFL Professional Football games, each team has its own set of cheerleaders who dance, cheer and spur the crowd on. But Cheerleading is not restricted to American Football in fact Cheerleading is a recognized sport of its own. Its beginnings though are by no means as glamorous a spectacle as they are today.
The Chicago Bears American football
club is a National Football League team based in
The Bears have won 9 total league titles, including 8 NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX. They have played in over 1,000 games and currently lead the NFL in overall franchise wins with over 660. The Bears also lead the league in the number of Pro Football Hall of Fame players with 26 enshrinees.
City:
Team Colors:
Navy Blue, Head Coach: Lovie Smith Home fields
Staley Field (1919-1920) CHIEFS See Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive linemen often try to cut defensive linemen by using chop blocks. CHUCK and DUCK a style of offense with minimal pass protection requiring the quarterback to "chuck" the ball then "duck" to avoid a defensive lineman.
Stiff arm
The Cincinnati Bengals American
football club is a National Football League team based in
City:
Head Coach: Marvin Lewis
Team Colors:
Black, Head Coach: Marvin Lewis
Uniform colors:
Black,
Helmet design:
Home fields:
Nippert Stadium (1968-1969) Paul Brown Stadium (2000-present) The Ickey Shuffle The most commonly recognized contribution comes from the "Ickey Shuffle", a celebratory dance created by Bengals running back Ickey Woods in his rookie season of 1988 during the Bengals' Super Bowl run. This dance, done after Woods would score a touchdown, was the catalyst for the NFL instituting penalties against excessive celebratory performances (resulting in the backronym "No Fun League"), and before the 1989 season was over it was relegated to the sidelines.
The Cleveland Browns American
football club is a National Football League team based in
In some accounts, there may be
confusion regarding the team's history due to unusual and
unprecedented actions taken by the cities of Cleveland, For that reason, past records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. However, some consider the Ravens and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continuous entity, using the term The Modell Franchise to denote it.
City:
Head Coach: Romeo Crennel
Team Colors:
Brown, Uniform colors: Brown (officially "Seal Brown") and Orange
Helmet design:
Home fields
Cleveland Municipal Stadium (1946-1995)
The 1931 team was a
league-sponsored club that only played games on the road. The NFL
intended to locate this team permanently in
Referee signal: hand striking the back of the leg. Clipping is a foul, with a 15-yard penalty.
Soon, colors were added to the face
masks as another way to distinguish players and teams.
- some players have it, some players do not. CLUTH KICKER See Clutch CLUTCH QUARTERBACK See Clutch
CM
(also COM, COMP)
An acronym for Completions
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
a punter may try to place the ball so that it lands and goes out of bounds, or is downed, near a corner of the playing field just in front of the end zone, thus forcing difficult field position for the receiving team on their next scrimmage. By extension from the real-life usage of the term described above, the corner the punter is aiming for in that situation is sometimes called the "coffin corner", for if the kick is only slightly too far in either direction (out of bounds or into the end zone) a touchback is awarded the ball will be placed on the twenty yard line, losing the advantage that comes with a successful execution of the kick.
COM (also
CM, COMP) An acronym for Completions
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
1. A legally caught pass. Also
known as a reception. A forward pass
that is thrown by the Quarterback and caught by an offensive
player that is beyond the line of scrimmage.
CONTACT SPORT: Any sport involving physical contact between players. Football is a contact sport, as are hockey, boxing, and soccer.
While Jimmy Conzelman was a success at most of his endeavors, which included stints as a newspaper publisher, playwright, author, orator, and actor, it was primarily as a football player and coach that he excelled.
A halfback at
After one season with the Staleys,
Conzelman moved on to the Rock Island Independents where he began his
career as a player-coach. He stayed with the Independents through
seven games of the 1922 season before jumping to the Milwaukee
Badgers for the remainder of the season and the 1923 season. Offered
an NFL franchise in
Eventually he returned the
franchise back to the league and in 1927 joined the Providence Steam
Roller as the player-coach. Quarterback Conzelman suffered a knee
injury in 1928, but coach Conzelman led the team to an Conzelman retired after that season with an overall professional record of 82 wins, 69 losses, and 14 ties.
A defensive backfield player, almost as deep into the backfield as the safety. There are two cornerbacks. Their job is to tackle runners and intercept passes. Either one of the two defensive backs who plays behind and to the outside of the linebackers, and whose duties include defending against passes and stopping running plays to the outside. A position in football, more broadly classified as a defensive back. As this suggests, he is indeed a defensive player. The modern cornerback is ideally very fast, agile, and has good football instinct. Like any defensive player, he must be able to react faster than his opponent, since he does not have the benefit of knowing where a play is going to go. Essential skills for a cornerback include backpedaling, jumping, staying with his man, anticipating a pass route and reading the quarterback. Most defensive formations in modern pro football use 4 defensive backs. Two of these are safeties, and two of them are corners. A corner's responsibilities vary depending on the type of coverage called. Coverage is simply how the defense will be protecting against the pass. A corner will be given one of two ways to defend the pass (with variations that result in more or less the same responsibilities): zone and man-to-man. In zone coverage, the cornerback is responsible for an area on the field. In this case, the corner must always stay downfield of whoever it is covering while still remaining in its zone, always between the sideline and the opposing player. Zone is a more relaxed defensive scheme meant to provide more awareness across the defensive secondary while sacrificing tight coverage. As such, the corner in this case would be responsible for making sure nobody gets outside of him, always, or downfield of him, in cases where there is no deep safety help. In man coverage, however, the cornerback is solely responsible for the man across from him, usually the offensive player split farthest out.
This play is designed for the offensive team to feign rushing one way, then attacking the defense in the opposite direction. In a counter trey right, the center, right guard, and right tackle block left as if the play is going left. The left guard and left tackle "pull" from their positions by moving behind the other linemen and around the right corner. The running back takes an initial feint step to the left, then cuts back to the right, receives the handoff from the quarterback, and follows behind the pulling left guard and left tackle. The left guard and left tackle will usually be blocking smaller linebackers and defensive backs downfield--this mismatch favors the offense. The counter trey requires quick, athletic linemen for good execution. Many teams have run this play, but it first became well-known when run by the Washington Redskins in the 1980s. In particular, guard Russ Grimm and tackle Joe Jacoby would open up massive holes for John Riggins, George Rogers, and Earnest Byner.
Cover 0 refers to pure man coverage
with no deep defender. Similar to Cover 1, Cover 0 has the same
strengths and weaknesses. Cover 1 schemes employ only one deep defender, usually a safety. Many underneath coverages paired with Cover 1 shells are strictly man-to-man with LBs and defensive backs each assigned a different offensive player to cover. By using only one deep defender in Cover 1, the other deep defender is free to blitz the quarterback or provide man-to-man pass coverage help. Cover 1 schemes are usually very aggressive, preferring to proactively disrupt the offense by giving the quarterback little time to make a decision while collapsing the pocket quickly. This is the main advantage of Cover 1 schemes--the ability to blitz from various pre-snap formations while engaging in complex man-to-man coverage schemes post-snap. For example, a safety may blitz while a CB is locked in man coverage with a WR. Or the CB may blitz with the safety rotating into man coverage on the WR post-snap. The main weakness of Cover 1 schemes is the lone deep defender that must cover a large amount of field and provide help on any deep threats. Offenses can attack Cover 1 schemes with a vertical stretch by sending two receivers on deep routes, provided that the quarterback has enough time for his receivers to get open. The deep defender must decide which receiver to help out on, leaving the other in man coverage which may be a mismatch.
A secondary weakness is inherent
its design: the use of man coverage opens up yards after catch lanes.
Man coverage is attacked by offenses in various ways that try to
isolate their best athletes on defenders by passing them the ball
quickly before the defender can react or designing plays that clear
defenders from certain areas thus opening yards after catch lanes.
COVER 2 Cover Two zone scheme known as Tampa Two, so named because it took hold with coach Tony Dungy's Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It has become the most popular defense in the NFL, a bend-but-don't-break scheme that forces offenses to execute down the length of the field five yards at a time. The entire concept of the Cover 2 is to make it hard to pass on you. The name comes from the position of the safeties, who both play deep zone coverage. In this normally 4-3 coverage scheme, your safeties play further back, while your linebackers and cornerbacks play zone coverage underneath the safeties. Each person underneath covers about 1/5th the width of the field for about 7 yards deep. The two safeties split the field and each cover half against the deep pass.
That aggressive approach is the
foundation of the Tampa 2, the style of Cover 2
defense made popular by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Tony Dungy,
starting in the mid- to late-1990s. Actually, it all started in the
1970s with Bud Carson's Steelers defenses, for whom Dungy played
defensive back. Dungy learned the Cover 2 from
In Cover 2, two safeties play
zone (area) coverage, each of them responsible for half of the
field. Dungy's Bucs had great success dropping a speedy middle
linebacker (the "Mike") down the middle of the field
to defend the pass, creating a three-deep look, while four often
undersized but quick defensive linemen rushed the passer. And so, the
So, too, was a trend. Nowadays,
most every defense in the league has some form of the The "Cover 2" is a zone defense in which every defender is responsible for a specific area of the field. Instead of playing man to man it's more of a zone type defense where you defend a certain part of the field. The two safeties, playing well off the line of scrimmage, cover the deep passing routes, while also directing the strategy and of the rest of the defense. Each additional member of the defense is responsible for a specific area of the field.
After the play begins by the
opposing Teams Offense, each of the defenders keeps his eyes on the
ball and reacts quickly to it, be it a run or a pass. The Cover 2
scheme works best when out-fitted with high-energy personnel that
excel at responding quickly to the play and attacking the ball. When
executed properly by experienced, skilled personnel, the Cover 2
defense is unbeatable. The Cover 2 defense is thus adaptable to the
myriad formations and schemes brought forth by the competition. Cover 3 refers to 3 deep defenders each guarding one-third of the deep zone. Cover 3 schemes are usually used to defend against passes, mainly those towards the deep middle of the field. Unlike Cover 2 schemes that create a natural hole between safeties, Cover 3's extra deep defender is able to patrol the middle area effectively. The most basic Cover 3 scheme involves 2 CBs and a safety. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. One safety moves toward the center of the field. The other safety is free to rotate into the flat area (about 2-4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage), provide pass coverage help, or blitz. As with other coverage shells, Cover 3 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.
The main weakness of Cover 3 shells
is the 2 retreating CBs. Since the CBs are working for depth, short
pass routes underneath the CB can isolate him on a wide receiver near
the sideline with little help. Cover 4 refers to 4 deep defenders each guarding one-fourth of the deep zone. Cover 4 schemes are usually used to defend against deep passes. (See Prevent defense). The most basic Cover 4 scheme involves 2 CBs and 2 safeties. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. Both safeties backpedal towards their assigned zone. As with other coverage shells, Cover 4 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form. The main weakness of Cover 4 shells is the retreating defensive backs. Since the DBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath can isolate them on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help. COWBOYS See Dallas Cowboys
This is an illegal block by an offensive player who is usually spread out away from the main body of the formation and runs back in towards the ball at the snap, blocking an opponent below the waist or in the back with the force of the block back toward the original position of the ball at the snap. An illegal crackback block is penalized 15 yards against the offending team.
The curl is a pattern used frequently by the West Coast offensive scheme, where quick and accurate passes are favored.
CUT:
1.To suddenly change direction to lose a pursuing player. CUT BACK: a sudden change in direction taken by a to make it more difficult for defenders to follow and tackle him.
The NFL's Denver Broncos are especially famous (or infamous) for using this technique. - D -
Uniform colors:
White jerseys have royal blue numbers and lettering; colored jerseys
feature a darker shade of blue as background (similar to that of
the star logo) with white numbers and lettering. By tradition,
and unlike most NFL teams, the Cowboys normally wear their white
jerseys at home (although they may wear their colored jerseys
during special occasions). In the 2003 season, the Cowboys
revived their 1962 throwback uniform (blue jersey with white
sleeves) for special occasions such as Thanksgiving; it was also
worn on Year founded: 1960
City:
Helmet design:
Silver background with a blue star Team Colors: Royal Blue, Metallic Silver, Blue, and White Head Coach: Bill Parcells
Home field:
Deacon Jones rule Enacted in 1977 - The Deacon Jones rule, which eliminated head slapping. Jones was a master at ringing bells inside the offensive linemens heads. They say he may have contributed more concussions to the game than any other player in the entire history of the NFL. If you dont believe it hurts, put on a helmet, and have someone slam an open palm against one side, over the ear hole. Youll be seeing stars for a long time.
A play from scrimmage ends when the ball is dead; this occurs when one of the following happens:
George Halas was hired in
1920 by A. E. Staley of the Staley Manufacturing Co. (whose primary
product was cornstarch) to form both a football and a baseball team
for the company. In order to find opponents, Halas pushed the
football team into the new league that was being formed, the American
Professional Football Association. A severe recession in early 1921
forced Staley to lay off the athletes he had hired; he suggested to
Halas that the football team should move to
Edward "Dutch" Sternaman,
who was Halas's teammate at the Dutch Sternaman has been credited with coining the phrase, "When in doubt, punt!" which he apparently used in a 1924 pre-game pep talk.
Moving to
The team defending their goal line. The defense does not have the ball; rather, they attempt to keep the offense from passing or running the ball over their (the defense's) goal line. Unlike the offensive team, there are no formally defined defensive positions. A defensive player may line up anywhere on his side of the line of scrimmage and perform any legal action. However, most sets of defensive formations used include a line composed of DEFENSIVE PLAYERS DEFENSIVE BACK : (DB) Any one of the four members of the defensive backfieldthe two safeties and the two cornerbackswho are positioned behind the linebackers. It's the job of the defensive backs to defend against passes and give support on running plays. A member of the defensive secondary. Defensive backs generally try to keep receivers from making catches. Safeties, cornerbacks, nickel backs, and dime backs are considered to be defensive backs.
Defensive Backs for
Defensive back is a defensive position in American and Canadian football. Defensive Backs are charged with the responsibility of preventing receivers from catching passes. However, similar to other defensive players, Defensive backs can also sack the quarterback and tackle running backs. It should be noted that "Defensive Back" is a collective term for several other positions, which include cornerbacks, as well as Strong and Free Safeties. Alternately, this term may be referred to as the "defensive secondary". While defensive backs must exhibit superb displays of speed and agility, they are also required to master the crucial technique of backpedaling, which enables one to follow a receiver while still focusing on the football. Furthermore, Defensive backs must be able to analyze an offensive formation before the play can begin, allowing one to predict intentions of an offense. A defensive back must also possess the ability to change one's path while running at whim, enabling a superior "man-to-man" coverage. Lastly, a defensive back must be capable of voraciously and accurately tackling offensive units. While these tackles may not often make the highlight reel after the game, they prevent the offensive units from breaking away and making big plays.
Also see backfield
Similarly, there is the offensive coordinator who is in charge of the offense.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years. Early formations, with six and seven man lines, used the end as a containment player, whose job was first to prevent an "end run" around his position, then secondarily to force plays inside. When most teams adopted a five man line, two different styles of end play developed: "crashing" ends, who rushed into the backfield to disrupt plays, and "stand-up" or "waiting" ends, who played the more traditional containment style. Some coaches would use both techniques depending on game situations. Traditionally, D-ends are in a 3 point stance, with there other hand cocked back ready to punch the offensive lineman. Some ends are bigger. They close down there gap so the running back has no hole to run through. Other ends are quicker. They are used to rush the quarterback. They can often times, time the snap of the ball to get a jump on the rush. Most of the time it is the job of the defensive end to keep outside contain, which means that no one should get to their outside; they must keep everything to the inside. The defensive ends are usually fast for players of their size, often the fastest and smallest players on the defensive line. They must be able to shed blockers to get to the ball. Defensive ends are also often used to cover the outside area of the line of scrimmage, to tackle ball carriers running to the far right or left side, and to defend against screen passes. Defensive ends are usually the only players on the line who are ever used to cover offensive players running receiving routes, albeit ones that are very close to the line of scrimmage.
Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are The Indianapolis Colts Defensive Ends These guys are the heroes of the defensive line, because they play the part of guided missile. As soon as the ball is snapped to the quarterback, these two guys are supposed to jump his creaking bones by any means possible before he gets rid of it. YOU KNOW THEYRE DOING THEIR JOB WHEN: You see the quarterback in the backfield running around like a rabbit being chased by coyotes. Or flat on his back, like a rabbit caught by em. YOU KNOW THEY ARENT WHEN: The quarterback is standing around in the backfield, polishing his nails, waiting for one of his receivers to find some spare time to catch the ball.
A defensive formation can be defined as a predetermined allignment of defensive players on the field. Theses are some of the more common defensive formations used in the game of football today.
In order for coaches and players of American football to exchange information in a rapid manner during practices and games, a more or less standard terminology for defensive schemes has been developed.
Inside the five yard chuck zone, the defense may jam the receiver, but after that a penalty is called. Defensive holding results in a five-yard penalty on the offending team and an automatic first down. Also Known As: Illegal Use of Hands
The defensive line is usually made up of the biggest defensive players, including defensive ends and tackles. Unless your The Indianpolis Colts with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis!
The Defensive Line for
The defensive line is comprised of a combination of defensive tackles or nose tackles, and defensive ends.
NFL: An automatic first down and the ball is moved forward to the location of the interference -- a devastating penalty if the play was a long pass. If the interference takes place in the end zone, the ball is placed on the one-yard line.
The main job of the secondary is to be prepared to handle passing plays. The general goal of defensive strategy is to prevent the opposing team's offense from scoring. While doing so, the defensive players may also attempt to gain control of the football and score points themselves. There are many different defensive strategies. Defensive formations Players on the defensive side of the ball are generally split between down linemen (tackles, defensive ends and nose guards), linebackers, and defensive backs (safeties and cornerbacks). To describe the basic defensive alignment of linemen, linebackers and backs, the number of down linemen is usually followed by the number of linebackers. By far the most common alignments are four down linemen and three linebackers (4-3), but alignments with three down linemen and four linebackers (3-4) are currently used by a number of teams. The number of defensive backs is usually not mentioned (as it is, for example, in describing soccer alignments). However, on plays where the defense expects the offense to pass, emphasis is often placed on the number of defensive backs. When one of the "front seven" (down linemen and linebackers) is removed in favour of a defensive back, the five defensive backs are described as a "nickel" package. When a sixth defensive back is inserted, it is known as a "dime" package. Unusual defensive alignments are rare, but often successful. In Super Bowl XXV, the New York Giants played with only two down linemen, with four linebackers and five defensive backs. The strategy was very successful in preventing the Buffalo Bills from completing long passes, but it allowed over 190 yards in rushing. Nevertheless, the Giants won. Another example is the New England Patriots using no down linemen and seven linebackers for two plays against the Miami Dolphins during a Monday Night game in 2004. 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 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 defense, 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 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. Other coverages Strategy Effective defense depends on co-operation from defensive players and an understanding of what coverage they are in. For example, in Cover Two, the cornerbacks are afforded with the knowledge that if they decide to jump a route (and thereby intercept or deflect a pass) they will have safety help farther upfield should they be tricked by a fake. In Cover One, the safety must be aware that one of the cornerbacks could have difficulty covering a wide receiver, and must be available to move over to help the cornerback before the quarterback can throw. Typically Cover One is only used if there are more than two wide receivers or other passing threats. Moreover, mixing up defensive alignments and not being predictable are important since if an offense recognizes an alignment or coverage scheme, or a tendency to use such a scheme, they can often take advantage of it. For example, if the defense is blitzing, and the quarterback forsees it (for example, one of the blitzing players moves towards the line of scrimmage before the snap) the quarterback knows that it is man-to-man coverage and will look for his fastest receiver to get open, or throw to the spot that is vacated by the blitzing player. Special Cases In the modern game, with players getting faster and stronger, defensive coordinators often look to a player's special skills in order to surprise the offense. For example, in some defensive schemes, defensive down linemen are given pass coverage responsibility. Since Lawrence Taylor now rush three down linemen and a single linebacker (often a different one on every play), a strategy that was almost unknown before he started to play. Moreover, even defensive backs are being given more responsibility on running plays. For example, on plays where a running back runs wide, it is the responsibility of the cornerback to ensure that the running back does not get directly to the sideline, and that the back is forced to run in front of the cornerback where there is more likely to be help from linebackers. Modern offenses have adapted to these strategies, and often require different skills from players, particularly running backs who, in addition to running with the ball, are expected to run deep pass routes against linebacker coverage, and to be available to block blitzing players on pass plays
3-4
In the following, "cover"
refers to the "shell" that the defense rolls into after the
snap of the ball, more specifically the number of defenders guarding
the deep portion of the field.
* Cover 1 Special teams strategy "Special team" is the term used to describe the specialized group of players who take the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal attempts. Most football teams' special teams include one or more kickers, a long snapper (who specializes in accurate snaps over long distances), kick returners who catch and carry the ball after it is kicked by the opposing team, and blockers who defend during kicks and returns. Some players may take the field as members of the offense or defense as well as the special teams; one notable example is Steve Smith, wide receiver for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, who also played as a kick returner during the 2005 NFL season, and was drafted primarily as a special teams player. Although these are risky, there are a variety of strategic plays which can be attempted during kickoffs, punts, and field goals which can be used to surprise the opposition and (hopefully) score points. Kickoff strategy A kickoff occurs at the beginning of each half and each overtime period, as well as after a successful field goal or touchdown. A coin toss determines which team kicks the ball away and which team receives the ball. After a field goal or a touchdown, the team which scored the points kicks the ball to the opposing team, which in most cases catches the ball and may attempt to "return" it up the field. Strategically, the coach of the kicking team may choose to have his players kick the ball in one of several ways:
* Standard kickoff Field goals are often viewed as a way for teams to turn a disappointing drive into a small victory. However, many football games are decided by field goals in the final minutes or seconds of play, making the ability to kick an accurate field goal vital for any football team. The strategy for a field goal is fairly straightforward. The team on offense forms a protective semicircle behind the line of scrimmage on either side of the center, who snaps the ball to the holder. The holder positions the ball so that the kicker - moving from a short distance away - can quickly get into position and accurately kick the ball through the goalposts. The remaining players block the opposing team, whose members will be trying to break through the protective circle in order to block the kick or bat it aside for a chance to intercept the ball. If a team misses the field goal, the opposing team takes possession of the ball without a kickoff. Distance, the amounts of wind and noise within the stadium, and the amount of experience the kicker has are all determining factors in the success or failure of a field goal attempt. The majority of successful field goal attempts are kicked within 50 yards of the goalpost. However, some kickers can - and often do - make good kicks from farther away. The current NFL record for the longest successful field goal was set in 1970 by Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints, who kicked from 63 yards out. It should be noted that Dempsey had a specially shaped prosthetic foot that enabled him to make such long kicks, and that such prosthetics have since been banned. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied this record in 1998. Modern kickers use a soccer style kick, which involves taking a diagonal approach to the ball and kicking with the inside of the foot. Many kickers in the 1950s and earlier kicked the ball by lining up directly behind it and approaching straight ahead. This is still seen today in a limited capacity in high school and college football. In some situations, a coach may choose to have his team fake a field goal attempt. The players line up as normal, but instead of holding the ball for a kick, the player receiving the snap may run with the ball, hand it off to another player, or attempt to throw it downfield. This play is quite risky and therefore not used often. It is possible for the defensive team to return a missed field goal, although this is attempted very rarely. If a field goal attempt is short of the goal posts and the ball is caught by a defensive player before it hits the ground, the player may return the ball just as on a punt. Teams usually try a return only when a very long field goal is attempted at the end of the first half, since in all other cases it is more advantageous for the defense to just let the ball fall short. Recently, returns of this type have happened in 2002 (Chris McAlister of the Baltimore Ravens, for 107 yards versus the Denver Broncos), 2005 (Nathan Vasher of the Chicago Bears, for 108 yards versus the San Francisco 49ers; this currently holds the record for longest play in NFL history), and 2006 (Devin Hester, also of the Bears, tied the previous record of 108 with a return against the New York Giants). Most teams punt on fourth down when the chances of gaining enough yards for a first down are slim and when the ball is too far from the goalpost to allow a field goal try. Generally, a member of the opposing team moves into position to catch the ball. He may try to gain yards by running the ball downfield, or he may signal a fair catch by waving one arm above his head, thus agreeing that he will not attempt to return the ball downfield. A player who has signalled a fair catch may not be tackled after catching the ball. In some cases, a coach may attempt trickery by switching between his offense and special teams players between plays. A coach may call a time-out, send the kicking team onto the field, and then when the play clock resumes quickly run his offense back on and his kicking team off, hopefully disorienting the defending team enough to advance on the ensuing play or cause a penalty if the defending team cannot switch personnel quickly enough. However, this trickery can also result in penalties against the offense if the play takes too long (delay of game) or if too many players remain on the field when the ball is snapped. Occasionally a coach will line his team up in a shotgun formation and have the quarterback "quick kick" or "pooch punt" -- using the element of surprise to cause the defense not to have a receiver ready. Fake punts In much the same way as a fake field goal (described above), a fake punt is an effort to trick the opposition and either score or gain enough yards for a first down. Fake punts are risky for the same reasons as fake field goals and are thus rarely attempted. Punts out-of-bounds Skilled punters may try to punt a ball past the return team so that the ball touches the playing field in bounds, then rolls out of bounds close to the opposing team's end zone. The drawback to such a punt is that the ball may roll into the end zone (touchback), giving the receiving team decent field position. Or, if the kick is angled too sharply, it will go out of bounds too early and result in an unusually short punt. The best punters are highly regarded for their ability to put the ball out of bounds within five yards of the goal line. These punts are also known as "coffin corner punts" due to their ability to act as a "coffin nail" to an opposing offense. Receiving kicks The biggest choice facing a kick returner is whether or not to attempt to run the ball back. Generally, a returner who catches a kickoff or punt in the "red zone" between the receiving team's own end zone and 20 yard line will attempt some sort of return, if only to gain a few yards. If the receiving team's players can get into position quickly, they may be able to allow the returner to gain further yardage or break away from the pack entirely and score a touchdown.
The duties of a defensive tackle include stopping the running back on running plays, getting pressure up the middle on passing plays, and occupying blockers so the linebackers can roam free. Defensive Tackles, or DT's, are typically the largest and strongest of the defensive players. The defensive tackle typically lines up opposite one of the offensive guards. Depending on a team's individual defensive scheme, a defensive tackle may be called upon to fill several different roles. These roles may include merely holding the point of attack by refusing to be moved, or penetrating a certain gap between offensive linemen to break up a play in the opponent's backfield. If a defensive tackle reads a pass play, his primary responsibilty is to pursue the quarterback. Other responsibilities of the defensive tackle may be to pursue the screen pass or drop into coverage in a zone blitz scheme. In the 3-4 defensive scheme the sole defensive tackle is referred to as the nose guard. The primary responsibility of the defensive tackle in this scheme is to absorb multiple blockers so that other players in the defensive front can attack ballcarriers and rush the quarterback.
Why they have the term as a
"TACKLE" is beyond me, If you had to define their job, it would be to make sure those zippy ball carriers dont manage to run down the center of the field. So, in theory, they cover that A gap between the opposing center and the guard outside of them on the line, and something called the B gap, which exists between the opposing guard and the tackle outside of them on the line, making sure nobody carrying the ball runs through there. Ok so theyre trying to stop a guy with the ball: why dont they tackle em? Well, they would if they could get at em. But ordinarily the guy with the ball, seeing the defensive tackle there, slobbering in anticipation, will seek an alternate route, and the opposing guard and tackle will do their best to discourage people like the defensive tackles from going after him. Of course, sometimes they get lucky and the guy with the ball decides to take his chances and goes for one of the gaps. At that point, all the tackle has to do is bully his way past the opposing guard and tackle who are there pretty much specifically to impede him, and then jump on top of the guy with the ball before hes too far out of reach. YOU KNOW THEYRE DOING THEIR JOB WHEN: Same as the nose tackle: nobody takes the ball on the hoof and prances down the middle of the field without tasting turf.
YOU KNOW THEYRE NOT WHEN: The
other team treats the A and B gaps
like exits on the
DEFLECTED PASS
The 40-second play clock starts running immediately when the previous play ends. If there is a timeout or other stoppage of play, a 25-second play clock starts from when the ball is spotted and declared ready for play. Referee signal: Two forearms in front of chest parallel to the body with open fists, one on top of the other. This penalty can be called on either offense or defense, but the foul is most commonly committed by the offense. The penalty occurs on offense when they allow the play clock to run down to zero without snapping the ball. The penalty can be called on the defense if the referees feel that the defense did not allow the offense to get the play off in time for any reason. A similar foul is delay on kickoff. penalty: 5 yards see official Signal
He is most widely
known for his NFL record 63 yard field goal, kicked in the final 5
seconds to give the New Orleans Saints a 19-17 win over the Detroit
Lions on Dempsey was born with no right hand, and a right club foot, with no toes on his right foot (which was his kicking foot). He wore a modified shoe with a flattened and enlarged toe area, giving somewhat the appearance of a hammer. He used a straight approach to kick the ball as opposed to the "soccer style" used by nearly all place kickers today. Dempsey's accomplishment led to the NFL passing a rule requiring that all footgear be "normal" (their term) regardless of the kicker's personal situation.
The Denver Broncos
American football club is a National Football League team based in The Denver Broncos were a small-market team that met with little success in their early years but have since become one of the elite franchises of the league after having advanced to the Super Bowl six times. In their first four appearances, they suffered successively lopsided defeats, achieving near-legendary status as frustrated losers before winning back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1998 and 1999 under quarterback John Elway, running back Terrell Davis and coach Mike Shanahan. For most of their history they played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its unbroken string of sell-outs and its famous home-field advantage percentage for the Broncos, especially during the post-season. Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. Since 2001, they have played at INVESCO Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of Mile High Stadium.
City:
Head Coach: Mike Shanahan
Uniform colors:
"Broncos Navy Blue",
Helmet design:
Navy Blue background with a white horse-head profile. Home fields
Mile High Stadium (1960-2000)
DEPTH CHART An NFL team roster with players classified as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd string.
The Detroit Lions
American football club is a National Football League team based in
The Lions have won four NFL Championships.
City:
Team Colors:
Head Coach:
Rod Marinelli
Universal Stadium (1930-1933) Ford Field (2002-present)
Teams normally use four defensive backs. When a fifth defensive back comes in the game, he is referred to as the nickel back. When the sixth defensive back comes in, he is refered to as the dime back. A dimeback is a cornerback who serves as the sixth defensive back on defense. The third cornerback on defence is known as a nickelback. The dimeback position is essentially relegated to backup cornerbacks who do not play starting cornerback positions. Dimebacks are usually fast players because they must be able to keep up on passing plays with 3+ wide receivers. Usually, dimebacks are brought onto the feild before plays that have a good possibility of becoming pass plays. Usually, a linebacker is substituted for a cornerback in order to gain better pass defence.
Dime coverage is generally used only in obvious passing situations.
You have two defensive ends (DE), one on each end of the line, and two defensive tackles (DT) in between. Behind the defensive line is one linebacker (LB). Two cornerbacks (CB), one nickel back (NB), and one dime back (DB) combine with two safeties to cover the defensive backfield. The exact position of the defensive backs depends on the type of pass coverage they are in.
See Dime Defense DION SANDERS See Sanders, Dion
Colts QB
Peyton Manning (18) looks to receiver
Brandon Stokley as a diversion during a direct snap to Edgerrin James
in the fourth quarter. The trick play gained five yards and help set
up the Colts only touchdown on the day giving the DIRTY BIRDS See Atlanta Falcons DIVE An Offensive Play See PLUNGE
Double coverage is a state of defensive playcalling wherein two defensive players are assigned to "cover" one offensive player. This situation is often seen with standout wide receivers and running backs. Note: It's actually extremely rare to nonexistent to have 2 DBs man-cover a single receiver. Commentators who use the term "double-coverage" almost always mean a CB covering a WR man-to-man, with a safety playing over the top (typically trying to stay in front of the WR's route) for deep ball assistance.
A double foul usually results in offsetting penalties that negate the result of the play.
See Option Play DOUBLE REVERSE a play in which the ball reverses direction twice behind the line of scrimmage. This is usually accomplished by means of two or three hand-offs, each hand-off going in an opposite direction as the previous one. Such a play is extremely infrequent in football. Some people confuse the double reverse with a reverse, which is a play with two hand-offs instead of three. DOUBLE WING a formation with two tight ends and two wingbacks.
DOWN AND IN: A maneuver where the receiver runs straight downfield, then suddenly cuts toward the middle of the field. DOWN AND OUT: A pass route In which the receiver runs straight downfield, then cuts sharply toward the sideline.
also known as chains
Some officials, generally the Umpire position, may also use an indicator to keep track of where the ball was placed between the hash marks before the play (i.e. the right hash marks, the left ones, or at the midpoint between the two). This is important when they re-spot the ball after an incomplete pass. Some officials use two thick rubber bands tied together as a down indicator. One rubber band is used as the wristband and the other is looped over the fingers.
Thus it is strategically important for kicking teams to get as close to the ball as possible after a punt, so that they may quickly tackle a returner, down the ball as close to the opposing team's end zone as possible, and (if possible) recover the ball after a fumble and regain possession of the ball.
Also referred to as Defensive Lineman, Defensive Tackle, Defensive End DOWN THE FIELD: In the direction of the opponents goal line.
DRAFT CHOICE: A player chosen by a professional sports team from a pool of college players in an annual draft.
The use of two crossing drag routes can also be used to try to create an open receiver by using the other receiver to block the path of a defensive back in a man coverage scheme.
The offensive linemen fake like they are going to pass-block, the quarterback drops back like he is going to throw a pass, but instead turns and hands the ball to a running back. The draw is a great play to call when the defense is applying a heavy pass rush. A draw is a type of play that "tricks" the defense into thinking a pass is being thrown, when in fact a running play has been called. The draw play can be considered the opposite of the play action pass. The idea behind a draw play is to attack aggressive, pass-rushing defenses by "drawing" them upfield, therefore leaving more room to run the ball. Draw plays are usually run out of the shotgun formation, but can also be run when the quarterback is under center. These types of draw plays are sometimes referred to as delayed handoffs.
A variation of this play is the quarterback draw, where the quarterback takes the snap, drops back to pass for a few moments, then runs upfield through the hole created by the linemen. 1. The series of plays a team puts together in an attempt to score. A continuous set of offensive plays gaining substantial yardage and several first downs, usually leading to a scoring opportunity. 2. A blocking technique - "drive block" - in which an offensive player through an advantaged angle or with assistance drive a defensive player out of position creating a hole for the ball carrier. DROP See Cut #2
Quarterbacks generally have a set number of steps they drop back on certain plays before setting up to throw the ball. DROPPED PASS Any incomplete pass which was catchable with normal effort. To determine if a pass was dropped, STATS compares and reviews the judgment of multiple reporters.
Other Noted African - American Coaches
DYNASTY LEAGUE (fantasy football term) A league in which you keep your entire roster from year to year. The next season a draft is held to improve your team. Usually the draft order is based on the previous year's finish. Dynasty leagues are a long term commitment.
Not all players on offense are entitled to receive a forward pass. Only an eligible pass receiver may legally catch a forward pass, or be more than five yards over the line of scrimmage on a forward passing play. If the pass is received by a non-eligible receiver, the penalty for ineligible receiver is assessed (the play is treated as an incomplete pass, unless the ball is downed behind the line of scrimmage - in either case a down is lost). If a non-eligible receiver is more than five yards downfield on a completed forward pass, the penalty assessed is "ineligible receiver downfield" (a loss of yardage, but not loss of down). Every player on the defensive team is considered eligible. The offensive team must have at least seven players lined up on the line of scrimmage. Of the players on the line of scrimmage, only the two players on the ends of the line of scrimmage are eligible receivers. The four remaining players in the backfield, excluding the quarterback, where a quarterback who takes the snap directly from the center is never eligible. However, a quarterback who receives a longer snap from the center, such as in a shotgun formation, is eligible even in the NFL. With the assignment of numbers to positions, a player who is not wearing a number that corresponds to an eligible receiver is not eligible even if he lines up in an eligible position. However, in the American game, a person who reports to the referee that he will be eligible on the play is allowed to line up and act as an eligible receiver. An example of this was a 1985 NFL game in which William Perry, wearing number 72 and normally a defensive lineman, was made an eligible receiver on an offensive play, and successfully caught a touchdown pass attempt. If, for example, eight men line up on the line of scrimmage, the team loses an eligible receiver. This can often happen when a flanker or slot receiver, who is supposed to line up behind the line of scrimmage, instead lines up on the line of scrimmage between the offensive line and a split end. In most cases where a pass is caught by an ineligible receiver, it is usually because the quarterback was under pressure and threw it to an offensive lineman out of desperation. Before the snap of the ball, eligible receivers may only move parallel to the line of scrimmage, only one eligible receiver may be in motion at any given time, and if forward motion has occurred, the receiver must be still for a full second before the snap. The receiver may be in motion laterally or away from the line of scrimmage at the snap. A breach of this rule results in a penalty for illegal procedure (five yards). The rules on eligible receivers only apply to forward passes, even those behind the line of scrimmage. However, any player may legally catch a backwards or lateral pass. Once the play has started, players can become ineligible and eligible depending on how the play develops. Any eligible receiver that goes out of bounds is no longer an eligible receiver and cannot receive a forward pass. Also, if a pass is touched by any eligible receiver (tipped by a defensive lineman, slips through a receiver's hands, etc) every player on the field immediately becomes eligible.
(Penalty 5 yards) - a defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with a player, or has a unabated path to the quarterback, before the snap. Unlike the offsides penalty, this penalty immediately halts play: the referees blow the whistle, the clock stops, and the offense does not run a play. Referee signal: same as offsides. See official Signal
END AROUND a play, often confused with a reverse, where the quarterback hands the ball off to a wide receiver . The receiver motions/moves into the backfield as the ball is snapped to take the handoff and runs around the opposite end from where he lined up
A team scores a touchdown by entering their opponent's end zone while carrying the ball or catching the ball while being within the end zone. If the ball is carried by an offensive player, across the goal line, it is considered a score as soon as the ball crosses the imaginary vertical plane of the goal line, between the two sidelines. In addition, a two-point conversion may be scored after a touchdown by similar means. The end zone is 10 yards long by 53 and 1/3 yards wide
ERNEST NEVERS See Nevers, Ernest EXCESSIVE TIME OUTS: Calling a time out after having used the three allowed per half. The penalty for excessive time outs is five yards against the offending team and the clock is restarted. An Expansion Team is considered to be a brand new team in a sports league. The term comes from the fact that the league expands its presence into new cities. However, when an expansion team begins play, they are generally stocked with players who were rejected by the other existing teams. As a result, most expansion teams are known to be very awful during their first season, but some are known to even held a title (championship) in their league only a few years after their first season. Most teams are considered as an expansion team usually in their inaugural season and sometimes in their second season. Depending on the league and the situation, a team that moves to another location and/or changes its name are generally not considered an expansion team. EXTRA CONVERSION See Extra Points
The extra point, point after touchdown, or PAT is the act of lining up to kick, as in a field goal, immediately following a touchdown. If the kick goes through the uprights, the team gets an additional point for their touchdown, bringing their total for that score to 7. If more points are needed or desired, a two-point conversion may be attempted instead of the extra point kick.
(1) A protective covering for the face worn by players in football. The face mask, which is usually made of plastic or metal bars, attaches to the front of the helmet. There are two types of face masks, the open cage and the closed cage. The open cage usually is preferred by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backfield men because the open cagewith two or three horizontal bars and no vertical bar above the noseenables better visibility. The closed cage usually is the choice of linesmen because the closed cagevertical bar running the length of the mask over the nose with two, three, or four horizontal barshelps to keep other players' fingers and hands out of their eyes. In the 1970s, vinyl coating was layered onto the bars to protect against chipping and abrasions. Soon, colors were added to the face masks as another way to distinguish players and teams.
Penalty: Automatic 1st down see official signal There are actually two levels of severity for face mask penalties. One results from incidental grabbing of a face mask where it is immediately released, and results in a five-yard penalty. A major face mask foul usually results from a player grabbing an opponent by the face mask and using it to pull the player down or twist his head around and results in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
Also, players may not tackle the receiver making the fair catch. The primary reason for the fair catch rule is to protect the receiver. A receiver's attention is on the incoming punt and cannot focus on the defenders running towards him. He is quite vulnerable to injury and is also at risk for fumbling the kick if the punter intentionally makes a high short kick to allow defenders time to hit the receiver. The XFL removed the fair catch rule in an effort to make the game more "extreme." The XFL however, was not the only league to do so: Canadian football and Arena football also do not have fair catch rules.
A free kick
may be taken on the play immediately after any fair catch of a punt.
If the receiving team elects to attempt this and time expired during
the punt, the half is extended with an untimed down. The ball must be
held on the ground by a member of the kicking team; a tee may not be
used. This is both a field goal attempt and a free kick; if the ball
is kicked between the goal posts, three points are scored for the
kicking team. This is the only case where a free kick may score
points. This method of scoring is extremely rare; it is only
advantageous when as a team catches a very short punt with no time
left. Note that a team is unlikely to be punting with only a few
seconds left in a half, and it is rarer still for punts to be caught
near field goal range. A player signaling for a fair catch is not required to catch the ball; however, after making the signal, he may not initiate contact with any member of the kicking team until the ball is touched by another player. If he does he will be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the ball hits the ground or a member of the kicking team, the fair catch signal is off and rules for kicked balls apply. If the receiver "muffs" the ball (touches it, but then fails to field it cleanly), then the ball can be recovered by the kicking team. A "personal foul" for kick catch interference and a 15 yard penalty is called against the kicking team if a member violates the fair catcher's right to the ball. If the receiver attempts to advance the ball after signalling for a fair catch he is penalized five yards for "delay of game". A fair catch may be followed by a snap or a type of free kick the fair catch kick at his team's choice, and an expired playing period may be extended if the free kick is chosen. (The fair catch kick exists only in the NFL, having been abolished in college.) The fair catch signal can be used as a legal form of deception in the following instance: If the receiver has no intention of actually fielding the ball, but wishes it to roll in the end zone for a touchback, he may signal for a fair catch in front of where the ball will land, making the kicking team think it will not reach the end zone. Some fans see this as an abuse of the fair catch rule, and think that it should be amended to allow the kicking team to recover the ball at any point after it has touched the ground if a fair catch has been called for, which would force an end to this practice, but so far no rules committee will consider this argument. The officials' signal for a successful fair catch kick is the same as for a field goal. FAIR CATCH INTERFERENCE: A player may not interfere with a punt returner's opportunity to catch the football after having signaled for a fair catch. The penalty for fair catch interference is 15 yards against the offending team. FAIR CATCH KICK The fair catch kick is a little-known, rarely enacted rule found in professional and some amateur American football. It is one of the three types of free kicks; the other two are the kickoff and the safety kick. The fair catch kick is the only of the three in which the kicking team may score a field goal. At one time a very similar rule existed in rugby union called goal from mark. Fair catch kicks can only occur when a member of the receiving team signals for, and successfully makes, a fair catch. That team then has the option of restarting play either by snap or fair catch kick. If the team elects the fair catch kick option, the kicking team lines up at the spot where the fair catch was made and the opposing team lines up ten yards downfield. The kicker then may either placekick the ball from a teammate's hold (a kickoff tee may be used in high school) or dropkick the ball. Three points are awarded for kicking the ball through the uprights. If the kick does not go through the uprights, the ball is live, similar to either of the other free kicks. Likewise, a fair catch kick landing out of bounds but not in the end zone is awarded to the receiving team 30 yards from where it was kicked. In the NFL, a fair catch kick may still be attempted if the quarter ends on the fair catch play. This is not automatic; a team's captain or coach must exercise this option. This play is very rarely used. First of all, it is only allowed in the NFL, high school, and a few other levels of football. In the NFL, a rare combination of circumstances would make it plausible. As it will only happen after a punt or free kick, a fair catch tends to be taken too far from the goal for a kick to be successful (although, unlike a field goal attempt, the resulting kick is taken from the spot of the catch, not several yards back, and the defending team must stay 10 yards back before the kick.) Further, it is of most use to a team when there is not enough time to run a play from scrimmage, so is only likely to be seen when the punt would otherwise be the last play of a half or a game. Finally, at the end of a game it is only of use when the receiving team is 3 points or fewer behind, or the game is tied - if they need 4 or more points, they will try to run the ball back for a touchdown. If a team has a three point lead on fourth down with a few seconds left, they are more likely to run out the clock by having the punter run around the end zone and take an intentional safety than to risk a punt. In the rare circumstances when a punt is taken close to a team's own goal line with only a few seconds left in the half, sportscasters will sometimes mention the rule. However, punters, under those circumstances, will generally kick the ball away from the return man, most likely to frustrate a long return rather than to prevent a fair catch. Because a fair catch kick is rarely used, many players, coaches and fans don't know that the rule even exists. The last successful fair catch kick in the NFL was by Mac Percival in 1968, scoring the game-winning field goal for the Chicago Bears against the Green Bay Packers. As of 2006, 8 more have been attempted, none successful. FAKE PUNT: On very rare occasions, a punting team will elect to attempt a "fake punt" that is line up in punt formation and begin the process as normal, but instead do one of the following:
Usually, teams will attempt a fake punt only in the rarest of situations: to keep a drive alive (particularly if a team is behind by one or more touchdowns and the team needs momentum), to expose a weakness in an opposing team's defense, or to catch the opponent's special teams unit off-guard and get an easy touchdown. The success rate of "fake punts" is low, which may explain why this play is seldom seen. FALCONS See Atlanta Falcons
A false start results in a five-yard penalty against the offending team. For offensive linemen, this movement might be as minute as a couple of centimeters. At the end of the 2005-2006 NFL season, owners complained regarding false start penalties on players whose flinches have little effect upon the start of the play, such as wide receivers. In response, the NFL competition committee has said that they plan to inflict less false start penalties on players who line up behind the line of scrimmage
Scoring systems vary among fantasy football leagues, but most are based on points accumulated by players based on their real-life performance in a game on the same day. A game which the players (owners) earn fantasy points for the statistical performances of the NFL players on their fantasy team. In most leagues, NFL players are assigned to teams via a draft. Usually, each player can only be on one team at a time and there are limits to the total number of players per team. The object of the game is to outscore your fantasy opponent (other owners) on a weekly basis, so that at the end of the fantasy season (depending on the league) you have the most points or the most wins (in a head to head league).
FantasyFootball.com FANTASY LEAGUE: A group of fantasy football teams that compete against one another for a league championship. Fantasy leagues range in size, generally from six to 16 teams, and the rules can vary greatly from one league to another.
FC An acronym for Fair
Catches - usually found in a Teams or Individual
Players STAT Reports
FF 1. An acronym
for Forced Fumbles
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports in DEFENSIVE MISC. STATISTICS FFB acronym for Fantasy Football FG An acronym for Field Goal - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports FGA An acronym for Field Goal Attempt - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports FIELD Click Here
Generally, teams will attempt field goals on fourth down when they feel they are within reasonable distance of the goalpost in the opponent's end zone.
A field goal is scored when the ball is kicked between the goal posts behind the opponent's end zone. The ball must first be snapped to a placeholder, who holds the ball upright on the ground with his fingertip so that it may be kicked. Three points are scored if the ball crosses the plane of the goal between the two upright posts and above the crossbar. If a field goal is missed, the ball is returned to the spot of the kick (in college, to the original line of scrimmage), and possession is given to the other team. If the ball does not go out of bounds, the other team may catch the kicked ball and attempt to advance it, but this is usually not advantageous. One official is positioned under each goalpost; if either one rules the field goal no good, then the field goal is unsuccessful. A successful field goal is signaled by an official extending both arms vertically above the head. A team that successfully kicks a field goal kicks off to the opposing team on the next play.
Click Here to see where The Field Judge is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge
FINS See Miami Dolphins
2 : a gain of a total of 10 or more yards within usually four downs giving the team the right to start a new series of downs
FIRST DOWN PERCENTAGE
The percentage of
relevant plays which resulted in first downs. FISH See Miami Dolphins
F-L An acronym for Fumbles-Lost - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
FLAG FOOTBALL: Similar to most other forms of football, but with typically six to nine players, with tackling not permitted. Instead, a flag carried on each side of the player's belt must be plucked to constitute a tackle.
See Slot Receiver Also known as a receiver
Running backs make a lot of their receptions in the flat on screen plays and swing passes.
A flea-flicker is an unorthodox play (often called a trick play) in American football. It is designed to fool the defensive team into thinking it is a running play instead of a passing play. After the snap, the quarterback hands off or laterals to a running back who then runs towards or parallel to the line of scrimmage. Before the running back gets to the line of scrimmage, he laterals back to the quarterback, who then looks for a receiver to throw the ball to. If the defensive players think it is just a normal running play, they will run upfield to try to tackle the running back, leaving the quarterback free from any immediate pass rush, and leaving receivers wide open to catch a pass. The flea flicker is an extremely high risk play, and the result of it is almost always either a big gain, a turnover, or a big loss. One problem is that it takes a significant amount of time for the play to develop. During that time, the defense might get past the offense's blockers to tackle the running back before he can make the pitch to the quarterback, or sack the quarterback before he can throw the ball. And there is also the risk the running back could fumble if he is hit as he pitches the ball.
Because of the risks it is rarely
used. However some flea flicker plays have been used in many key
National Football League games including the Super
Bowl. In Super Bowl XVII, the Washington Redskins used a flea
flicker to try to fool the Miami Dolphins. However the Dolphins were
not fooled;
Joe Theismann of the Washington
Redskins famously had his career come to an end on a nationally
televised Monday Night Football game at the hands of New York Giants linebacker
Lawrence Taylor, after a failed attempt at a flea flicker which
didn't fool the Giants' defense. Upon tackling Theismann,
An offensive alignment that utilizes a quarterback, five offensive lineman, three running backs, and varying numbers of tight ends and wide receivers. The flexbone formation is a predominant running formation derived from the wishbone formation and it features a quarterback under center with a fullback lined up directly behind the quarterback. There are two smaller running backs called slotbacks aligned behind the line of scrimmage on each side of the offensive line. The slotbacks are sometimes incorrectly referred to as wingbacks. But, in order to be a wingback, there must be a guard, tackle and tight end all on one side of the center on the line of scrimmage and then the wingback off the line of scrimmage. The basic play run from the flexbone is known as a triple option. First, the quarterback (QB) receives the football from the center and the fullback (FB) either takes the football from the quarterback or 'fakes' that he has taken the football. If the fullback takes the football, then he runs straight into the line of scrimmage and attempts to gain yardage. If the fullback does not take the football, then the quarterback sprints parallel to the line of scrimmage with a slotback trailing him. The quarterback can either turn up field or pitch the football to the trailing slotback. Hence the term triple because the fullback is option number one, the quarterback keeping the ball is option number two, and the quarterback pitching to the slotback is option number three. The triple option forces defenses to worry about fullbacks running in the middle of the offensive line and to worry about quarterbacks and slotbacks running to outside of the line. The decision of who to carry the ball (which option to make) can either be made before the play in the huddle, or during the play by the QB, who will make decisions based on the position and play of certain defensive players and what they are doing. For example, if the QB keeps the ball but a defender is coming after him, he will pitch to the slotback (or FB), but if the defender covers the possible pitch to the slotback, the QB will keep the ball, perhaps even faking a pitch.
FLOOD: An attempt to swamp the opposition or an area of the field with sheer numbers of players. A strategy used by offenses where they send more players to a particular area of the field than the opposition can effectively cover. Against zone defenses, an offense will flood a zone, forcing a defender to have to cover more than one player. F LOST abbreviation for fumbles lost FLY See Fly Route FLYER See Flier
Fly patterns can also be used to clear out space for other receivers. Generally, a fly pattern will draw the attention of both the cornerback assigned to the receiver as well as "over the top" help from a safety. This can create a large gap in coverage, allowing another receiver to run a shorter route, but then gain many yards after the catch because the safety committed to the deep man. The famed "Hail Mary" play generally involves between three and five receivers all running fly routes in order to have the most chance of one of them catching the ball and scoring or at least gaining significant yardage. The first Hail Mary was when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw it to wide receiver Drew Pearson in the NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings in 1975. FLYING ELVIS See New England Patriots FOOTBALL: A game played with a ball on a rectangular field, 100 yards in length, with goal lines and goal posts at either end. Opposing teams of 11 players each attempt to gain possession of the ball and advance it by means of running and passing plays across the opponent's goal line. A team doing so scores a touchdown, worth six points, and then has the opportunity to kick the ball over the goalpost crossbar for one extra point. A field goal -- a kick over the crossbar other than when after a touchdown - counts three points. See line of scrimmage, down, forward pass, kickoff, field goal, safety, touchback, touchdown, point after touchdown. Learn all about How To Play Footbal FOOTBALL GOAL: See Goal line
In 2002, American football equipment manufacturer Riddell released a new design of helmet called the Revolution [1]. The newer design was released in response to a study on concussions. The design is becoming more popular in the NFL and NCAA, being used by notables such as Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Casey Hampton, and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. The football helmet serves an aesthetic purpose as well. Because the helmet bears the team's logo, it serves as a trademark. Credit goes to the Los Angeles Rams as being the first football team to design graphics for their helmets.
FOUL ON LAST PLAY OF HALF OR GAME See Official Ruling
A downed linemen's stance with four points on the ground, in other words, his two feet and his two hands. In the four point stance the player places the second hand to the ground as well. The weight ratio between the hands and feet in the four point stance is 1-1. This stance is often used by linemen in obvious running downs to keep the line low and firing out at the opponent. It is also used by many power running teams as they pass very infrequently. It is difficult to pass block from the four point stance.
See Down FR An acronym for Fumbles Recovered - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The team often played a grueling
schedule of 15 to 20 games a season. Frequently, they would schedule
a home game on Saturday and an away game on Sunday of the same
weekend, due to On October 26, 1931, the franchise suspended operations one day after the team defeated the Chicago Bears 13-12 at Wrigley Field a result that ultimately took on some historical significance because it would be the last time the Philadelphia-based NFL team won an away game over the Bears until October 17, 1999, when the Philadelphia Eagles won 20-16 at Soldier Field (Philadelphia also went 51 years without a road victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles' 1979 win at Green Bay being the first since the Yellow Jackets had won there in 1928). Indeed, Bell and Wray reactivated the franchise on July 9, 1933 under the name "Philadelphia Eagles;" however, due to the gap in time between the Yellow Jackets' demise and the Eagles' birth (and the fact that virtually no players who were on the 1931 Yellow Jackets' roster also played for the 1933 Eagles), the NFL officially treats the two franchises as separate entities despite the commonality and continuity of their ownership.
A player whose contract with his most recent team has expired, allowing him to sign a new contract with any team that makes him an offer.
A free kick is a special play which does not occur from scrimmage. The kicking team begins behind the ball, while the receiving team must remain at least 10 yards downfield before the ball is kicked. A kickoff is a kind of free kick used to start each half, and also used to restart the game following a field goal or touchdown. At the beginning of a half, the kicking team is determined by coin toss. After a field goal or touchdown, the kicking team is the team which just scored. A tee is used, unless the ball is blown off the tee by winds twice in succession, in which case the ball must be held by a member of the kicking team. The receiving team may recover and attempt to advance the ball at any time after the kick, but the kicking team may not field the ball until it has traveled at least 10 yards. The ball is usually kicked as deep as possible to the receiving team, in order to force the receivers to start far down the field, but sometimes a team will attempt to recover its own short kick, in a play known as an onside kick. A free kick is also used to restart the game following a safety. The team that was trapped in its own end zone, therefore conceding two points to the other team, kicks the ball from its own 20-yard line. In this case, the free kick may be either punted or kicked from the ground, but a tee may not be used and the ball may not be held on the ground. In the NFL and high school, a free kick may be taken on the play immediately after a fair catch.
He has to roam way back and stay there most of the time, just in case somebody (or a group of somebodies) really screw things up in the front and his job is to make Absolutely Positively sure nobody's getting past him. YOU KNOW HE'S DOING HIS JOB WHEN: No matter what happens, by the time the free safety is involved, things mostly suck. If they suck bad, he may have helped keep it from sucking worse. YOU KNOW HE'S NOT WHEN: Things have gone from totally sucking to totally screwed. See Safety for full detail FREEZE: Holding onto the ball for along time without scoring or attempting to score, to freeze the ball. FRITZ POLLARD See Pollard, Fritz
Also Known As: defensive line
FROZEN NORTH See NFC North
The name derives from the fact that in an I formation the Fullback is the furthest back, or a full way back. See quarterback and halfback to further clarify. The second running back is called the Full Back. Well, all of these backs - the Quarter, the Half, and the Full - all stand behind the front scrimmage line. Hence, Back. Why the percentage prefixes? Well, there are four backs allowed on the field behind the line of scrimmage, and some genius decided to call the positions the Quarter-back, the Half-back, the Full-back and the Set-back. The-Full back is the big monster of the backs, and his job is mainly to make sure the Half-back gets his hole and can keep himself on his feet for as long as possible. Alternately, he becomes the last line of defense for the quarterback should one of those big neanderthals on the front line manage to break through and attempt to use the QB as a welcome mat. He's the bodyguard guy. Every now and then, you'll see him in a trick play as a receiver. See Backs for more detail
FUM An acronym
for Fumbles -
usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports for
A fumble occurs when an offensive player such as the quarterback or a running back drops the ball while it is still in play. A fumble may also be forced by a defensive player who either grabs or punches the ball or butts the ball with his helmet (a move called "tackling the ball"). A fumbled ball may be recovered and advanced by either team (except at the end of the game, when the original fumbler is the only offensive player permitted to touch the ball, and even he may not advance it). It is one of two events considered to be turnovers, where possession of the ball can change during play. Fumbles usually occur during the snap, while running the ball, or in a failed attempt at a lateral pass. Technically, however, if a player drops the ball while attempting to catch a lateral pass it is a muff (you can't "fumble" a loose ball). The result is the same and most announcers will still call it a fumble. Muffs also result when the ball is improperly fielded on kicking plays such as punts.
G An acronym for Games - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports GAMBLE (fantasy football term) A player with both high potential and high risk. Players in this category are usually injury-prone, have a high probability for being suspended, or are approaching the end of their career.
Colts head coach Tony Dungy
holds the game ball aloft after the team's 17-13 win over the Cardinals.
GARBAGE TIME also known as Junk time, is a term used to refer to the period of time at the end of a game when the outcome of the game has already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best players with substitutes. This serves to give those substitutes playing time experience in an actual game situation, as well as to protect the best players from the possibility of injury. GEORGE HALAS See Halas, George
GIANTS See New York Giants
G-MEN
The goal line is the chalked or painted line dividing the end zone from the field of play . If any part of the ball reaches any part of the imaginary vertical plane transected by this line while in-bounds and in possession of a player whose team is striving toward that end of the field, this is called a touchdown and scores six points for the team whose player has advanced the ball to, or recovered the ball in, this position. If any member of the offensive team is downed while in possession of the ball and at or behind the goal toward which the other team is striving, this is called a safety and scores two points for the defensive team. If, during the course of play, a loose ball travels past the goal line and is recovered within the end zone, then it is a touchdown if recovered by the team striving toward that goal, or a touchback if recovered and downed by the team striving toward the goal at the opposite end of the field.
A goal line stand usually refers to a team's effort that keeps the opposition out of the end zone after they have started with a first down inside the five-yard line.
Grange responded by scoring touchdowns the first four times he
touched the ball, in twelve minutes of the first quarter.
Grange returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, then
scored on 67, 56 and 44-yard runs from scrimmage - all in the first
12 minutes of the game. He ran for a fifth touchdown in the second
half and passed for a sixth score. All told, he accounted for 402
yards total offense as
After scoring three touchdowns in 21-21 tie with the
Already known as the "Galloping Ghost" and the
"Illinois Flash," Grange captained the Illini in 1925.
After the young team lost three of its first four games, he was moved
to quarterback
and An All-American for the third time, Grange left college immediately after his final game to tour with the Chicago Bears. He actually had a personal services contract for more than $100,000 with promoter Charles C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle, who in turn sold his services to the Bears.
The tour was not totally successful. Grange missed several games with
injury and played only briefly in several others. However, he
attracted 65,000 fans in
Pyle also got Grange a role in a football movie, One Minute to Play,
and Grange later did a vaudeville tour and two other movies. One of
Pyle's ambitions was to get a After sitting out the 1928 season, he joined the Bears in 1929 and played with them through 1934. No longer an outstanding runner, he was still a very good player, and a genuine defensive star. He was named to the first official All-Pro team chosen, in 1931, and was an All-Pro again in 1932. When the Bears beat the Portsmouth Spartans for the 1932 NFL championship, Grange scored the only touchdown on a pass from Bronko Nagurski. And he saved the 1933 championship game against the New York Giants. With the Bears leading 23-21 in the closing seconds, a Giant halfback broke loose and had a teammate trailing him, waiting for a lateral. Grange alertly pinioned the runner's arms to keep him from lateraling the ball and then threw him to the ground.
After missing the 1934 championship game with an injury, Grange
played in a post-season exhibition game on
The team currently holds the record for the most NFL league championships with 12: nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era, and Super Bowl XXXI. The team also holds the distinction of winning the first two AFL-NFL Championship Games that were held before the AFL-NFL Merger.
The Packers are now the only
publicly owned company with a board of directors in American
professional sports. Typically, a team is owned by one person,
partnership, or corporate entity; thus, a "team owner." It
has been speculated that this is one of the reasons the Green Bay
Packers have never been moved from the city of
Based on the original 'Articles of
Incorporation for the (then) Green Bay Football Corporation' put into
place in 1923, if the Packers franchise was sold, after the payment
of all expenses, any remaining monies would go to the Sullivan-Wallen
Post of the American Legion in order to build "a proper
soldier's memorial." This stipulation was enacted to ensure that
the club remained in
City:
Team Colors: Dark Green, Gold, and White Head Coach: Mike McCarthy Home fields:
Borchert Field (1933-1935) GRIDIRON: term for a football field. so called for its markings. Grs Avg An acronym for Gross Punting Average - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
The guard's job is to protect the quarterback from the oncoming defensive line and linebackers during pass plays, as well as creating openings (holes) for the running backs to head through. Guards perform speed blocking and "pulling"--sprinting out in front of a running back in order to block for him. Guards are automatically considered ineligible receivers, so they cannot touch a pass, unless it is to recover a fumble or is first touched by a defender or eligible receiver. Guards, like other linemen, today are often over 300 pounds.
On either side of the Center are the right and left guards. They have two possible jobs, depending on the play. They can either bully a hole in the line of scrimmage for a running backs to run through, or they can turn into stone walls and simply keep the defensive guys from running through the center of the line to the quarterback. Preferably, they can do both at the same time. You know they're doing their job when: The quarterback is still standing at the end of the play, and, if one of the running backs tries to run the ball up the middle, there's a hole there for him to run through. You know they aren't when: The quarterback gets clobbered from the front, or the running back is stopped cold right at the line of scrimmage where the play started. (Or worse)
A player on the kick cover team that is the first down the field to make a play on the returner. GUY CHAMBERLIN See Chamberlin, Guy
In fact, using this new formation the Bears rolled up the largest margin of victory and the highest score in the history of professional football against the New York Giants in the 1940 championship game. The Bears won 73-0. This forever entrenched George Halas, or (Papa Bear), as he is affectionately known, as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, coach in the history of professional football.
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary play is a forward pass made in desperation, with only a very small chance of success. The typical Hail Mary is a very long forward pass thrown at or near the end of a half where there is no realistic possibility for any other play to work, though the most famous were thrown at the end of a game. The phrase derives from the name of a prominent Roman Catholic prayer to the Virgin Mary. The point is that the success of such a pass is so unlikely that it would need divine intervention to work.
Although a running back's primary role is to run with the football, he is also used as a receiver at times. Unless you're watching a very gifted team, you're probably seeing the ball being humped up the field by runners at least three times as much as you see it being plucked out of the sky. They call that "the ground game," and the half-back is one of the three guys that do it. In fact, the half-back (tail back) is the main guy who does it, and if your teams lucky enough to find a good one, he's going to rack up an obscene amount of carries per season. That's why he's called a "Running back." He runs. Also Known As: running back, tailback HALFBACK OPTION PLAY a trick play in which the halfback throws a pass. The halfback option play is an unorthodox play in American football. It resembles a normal running play, but the running back has the option to throw a pass to a wide receiver or tight end before crossing the line of scrimmage. The key to the play is fooling the defensive players, primarily the defensive backs. If the defensive backs think it is just a normal running play, they will first immediately run upfield to try to tackle the running back, leaving the wide receivers wide open to catch a pass. Of course, if the defensive backs are not fooled, the running back carrying the ball does have the option to run instead of risking an incomplete pass or an interception. The running play that halfback options usually resemble is a sweep play. Sometimes the quarterback will run out of the backfield and become a receiving option for the running back. This can be effective because the quarterback usually does very little after handing off or pitching the ball to the running back on most plays, and the defense might not be expecting him to be used as an active receiver. The halfback option play usually has limited success and is not commonly used.
Half-time for spectators offers the opportunity to visit the toilet, get some food or drink, or just exercise cramped limbs, without the fear of missing any of the action. A show may be put on for the spectators to keep their attention, most famously in the case of the American football Super Bowl. As many spectators at the ground may be otherwise occupied using stadium facilities it might be inferred that the scale and spectacle of half-time entertainment is more directly related to the size of the potential television audience. Half-time offers the opportunity to advertise, a valuable source of revenue for television companies. In addition, it allows analysis of the game so far by pundits. Controversial incidents or exceptional play may be highlighted at this time. It also allows viewers to catch up with any action that they may have missed.
HANDS TEAM A team of sure-handed players that specializes in recovering onside kicks. During an onside kick, both teams put in their hands teams so they have the players on the field with the best ball-handling skills. HANG TIME: the length of time a punt is in the air. HAROLD GRANGE See Grange, Harold HARRISON, MARVIN: Click here
On an NFL football field, the hash marks are 4 inches wide and located 70 feet, 9 inches from the sidelines.
An H-Back is an offensive position in American football that is a hybrid between a fullback and a tight end. One team that prominently utilizes the H-back position is the Washington Redskins under head coach Joe Gibbs, who is one of the first coaches to use the positions. Gibbs is credited for revolutionizing the position. Unlike the tight end, which Gibbs uses almost exclusively as an extra blocker on the offensive line, the H-back is asked to block, pass protect, and run receiving routes from multiple sets. The H-back can line up in the backfield, on the line, or is put into motion. On one play, he may be asked to serve as lead blocker for the tailback. The next, he may be sprinting 15 yards downfield to catch a pass. Due to the complexity of the position, a thorough knowledge of the offense is desirable in an H-back. HEAD COACH: The member of the coaching staff that is responsible for all aspects of the team, and is in charge of all other coaches. A professional who is responsible for the overall actions of the players of the team he is associated with. He is typically paid more than other coaches. Other coaches are often subordinate to the head coach, often in offensive positions or defensive positions, and occasionally proceeding down into individualized position coaches.
Click Here to see where The Linesman is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge
During his four-year career at Yale, the school won 54 games while losing only 2. There were no limits on eligibility at that time and a student newspaper led a campaign to get him to play a fifth season, using the slogan, "Linger, oh linger, Heffelfinger," but he chose to play for the Chicago Athletic Association instead.
On
Heffelfinger coached
At fifty-four,
Heffelfinger captained an all-star team that played a 1922 game
against the
John Heisman was a prominent American football player and college football coach in the early era of the sport and is the namesake of the Heisman Trophy awarded annually to the season's best college football player.
He was born in
In 1900, he went to
He went back to He was an innovator and developed one of the first shifts, had both guards pull to lead an end run, and had his center toss the ball back, instead of rolling or kicking it. He was a proponent of the legalization of the forward pass.
Heisman subsequently
became the athletics director of the former Downtown Athletic Club in John Heisman Quotes Don't cuss. Don't argue with the officials. Anddon't lose the game. To break training without permission is an act of treason. Gentlemen, it is better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football. When in doubt, punt! When you find your opponent's weak spot, hammer it.
HELMET See Football Helmet
The practice of teams
producing highlight films appears to have emerged gradually during
the 1970s; a particularly notable offering of this genre was that of
the 1979 Dallas Cowboys; its title, Today virtually all American sports teams produce annual highlight films, regardless of the outcome (good or bad) of the club's season; originally turned out as video cassettes, they are more commonly now done in DVD format.
A Hitch route is a pattern run by a receiver where the receiver will act like he is running a pattern down field, taking possibly one or two steps forward before quickly stopping and looking for a quick pass before the defender has a chance to react and try to deflect the pass. This route can also be used in what is called a screen, where while the receiver is receiving the pass, one or more lineman, tight ends, or running backs will run in the direction of the receiver in order to block the initial pursuing defenders so that the receiver has time and space to be able to run after the catch.
The holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand furthest from the line of scrimmage on the ground with the other hand held out waiting for the ball to be snapped to him. After receiving the ball the holder places it on the ground, as quickly as possible, so that one end is touching the ground and the other end is supported by one finger. The holder also rotates the ball so that the laces are facing towards the goal posts. During a "fake field goal" attempt the holder will pick the ball up and either throw a forward pass or run with the ball. There can also be a holder during kickoffs and free kicks, but this is reserved for when the ball tee cannot keep the ball up by itself, usually due to wind.
There is illegal use of the hands or arms while blocking, usually a grasp or a tackle of a defending player; an automatic safety is assessed if the spot of the infraction is within the offensive team's own end zone. Referee signal: one forearm vertically held in front of the body with a closed fist facing the referee's chest; the other hand grasping the first arm's wrist. The penalty is enforced from the previous spot, unless the infraction occurred beyond the line of scrimage or during a running play, in which the penalty is enforced from the spot of the foul. Or, when a player on offense commits an illegal block, such as if...
See Running Lane HOLE NUMBER: A number assigned to each gap or space between the five offensive linemen and the tight end. See Running Lane
What some believe should have been called an incomplete pass (and possibly intentional grounding) was seen as a fumble and the rest of the play involved illegal batting of the ball. The officials did not think the illegal actions were obvious enough to call a penalty so the play ended in a touchdown.
With 10 seconds left in the
game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers 14-yard
line, trailing 20-14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler took the snap
and found himself about to be sacked by Chargers linebacker Woody
Lowe on the 24-yard line. Stabler lost the ball, and it rolled
forward towards the
During the play, the game
officials ruled that Banaszak and
However, when asked after the
game by radio announcer Bill King if he intentionally fumbled,
Stabler said, "You bet your ass I did." Banaszak and HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: the benefit a team gets by playing games in the area where it is based, due to fan support (noise), familiarity with its surroundings and the lack of required travel. HOME GAME: a game played in a teams own stadium. HOTDOG: A player who uses theatrics and "hams it up" for the camera. *Bengals receiver, Chad Johnson to name one
The Houston Texans
American football club is a National Football League team based in
Year founded: 2002
City:
Uniform colors:
Steel blue,
Helmet design: Blue
helmet with a bull head in the red, white, and blue colors of the Head Coach: Gary Kubiak
Hunt, the pro sports
visionary who was the founder and owned the Kansas City Chiefs and
came up with the term "Super Bowl," one of
Hunt is one of the
most influential sports promoters in the Founding of the American Football League Hunt applied for an National Football League expansion franchise but was turned down. In 1959, professional football was a distant second to Major League baseball in popularity and the thinking among NFL executives was that the league must be careful not to "oversaturate" the market by expanding too quickly.
In response, in 1960
Hunt led several other investors in forming the AFL. Hunt encouraged,
wheedled, and cajoled seven other like-minded men to form this new
league. One of them, fellow Texan Bud Adams of HURRY Occurs when a defense's on-coming rush forces the quarterback to throw before he intended to, throw erratically or off target.
The hurry-up offense, or two-minute drill, is an American football offensive strategy designed to run a series of plays quickly and efficiently using as little of the time remaining as possible. Very few rushing plays are called and most passing plays are designed to be out patterns, towards the sideline so the receiver can get out of bounds. Typically a play will last between 3 and 7 seconds in a hurry-up offense. Plays can be from either a practiced script, called in from the sideline, or called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage depending on the situation. If a defense has adjusted to an offense's gameplan well all night, plays may be called in from the sideline ad-lib to better gain the advantage over a defense that was prepared against what the offense was trying to do. If a defense has not adjusted well all game, a coach may opt to run the practiced two-minute drill done in practice throughout the week. The hurry-up is sometimes called a no-huddle offense, though the no-huddle is properly a subset of hurry-up offenses. The hurry-up offense revolves around strategic management of the remaining time of the game clock. There are a number of techniques used to stop the clock from running down:
Drawing penalties or intentional fouls (it should be noted that this is not always smart. If there are only a few seconds left on the clock and someone on a team with no time-outs purposely commits a penalty, there is a 10-second run-off). Creating penalties by starting plays as the defense is still switching out players, and has the wrong number of players on the field. The Indianapolis Colts are notorious for this kind of offense.
I20 abbreviation for inside the 20 (found in STAT records) IDP acronym for Individual Defensive Player I FORMATION: An offensive formation that looks like an I because the two running backs line up directly behind the quarterback. On short yardage plays, teams often run out of the I-formation. The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical (as viewed from the opposing endzone) alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the now-archaic T formation. The formation begins with the usual 5 offensive linemen (2 offensive tackles, 2 guards, and a center), the quarterback under center, and two backs in-line behind the quarterback. The base variant adds a tight end to one side of the line and two wide receivers, one at each end of the line. The I formation is typically employed in running situations. Despite the emphasis on the running game, the I formation remains an effective base for a passing attack. The formation supports up to three wide receivers and many running backs serve as an additional receiving threat. While the fullback is rarely a pass receiver, he serves as a capable additional pass blocker protecting the quarterback before the pass. The running threat posed by the formation also lends itself to the play-action pass. The flexible nature of the formation also helps prevent defenses from focusing their attention on either the run or pass. Common variations Many subtypes of the I formation exist, generally emphasizing the running or passing strengths of the base version.
The I formation, in any variant, can also be modified as Strong or Weak. In either case, the fullback lines up roughly a yard laterally to his usual position. Strong refers to a move towards the side of the quarterback with more players, weak in the opposite direction. These modifications have little effect on expected play call. In the NFL, the I formation is less frequently used than in college. The increasingly common Ace Formation replaces the fullback with an additional receiver, who lines up along the line of scrimmage. The I will typically be used in short-yardage and goal line situations.
IGGLES
See
Referee signal: One arm in front of the body with palm out and fingers up, moved in a pushing motion out.
Fewer than 7 players on the line of scrimmage (or more than 7 in NFL), fails to have an eligible receiver as the leftmost and rightmost players on the line in the NFL, or fails to have five properly numbered ineligible players on the line. By rule, an NFL team must have seven men lined up on the line of scrimmage to begin every offensive play. Failure to do so is an illegal formation and a five-yard penalty against the offending team. ILLEGAL FORWARD KICK any kick made from in front of the line of scrimmage. This results in a loss of down and a ten yard penalty. It is the least called penalty in the National Football League
Referee signal: One hand, flat, waved behind the small of the back.
Referee signal: One open fist in a pushing motion to the referee's chin.
Referee signal: One arm in front of chest, palm open and down, with the elbow out to the side, moved away from chest. Illegal motion results in a five yard penalty against the offending team.
The penalty for illegal procedure is five yards against the offending team. Illegal procedure includes, but is not limited to:
A player is not in motion but is not set before the snap; more than one player is in motion at the snap; or after more than one player was moving (shifting), all eleven players have not been motionless for one second. Referee signal: two arms in front of chest, palms open and down, with the elbows out to the side, moved away from chest. The penalty for an illegal shift is five yards against the offending team. ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTION: A player may only enter the field of play while the ball is dead. They must also only leave crossing their own sideline. Substitutes entering the game must enter the field passed the numerals. Finally, except for the last two minutes of the half, the offense must not rush to the line and hurry up a snap if they are substituting. Penalty: Automatic 1st Down
Referee signal: one hand held up to shoulder, fingertips touching the shoulder.
Referee signal: one forearm vertically held in front of the body with an open fist facing away from the referee's chest; the other hand grasping the first arm's wrist. There are several restrictions on how a defender may initiate contact, such as when...
IN20
An acronym for Punts
inside the 20 yard line, (a touchback
is not an inside-20) -
usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
IN20% An
acronym Inside 20 punts divided by
Net Punts - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
After an incomplete pass, the football is spotted back at the previous line of scrimmage. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it, or tries to catch it unsuccessfully, it is ruled as an incomplete pass. An incomplete pass causes the down to advance by one and the offensive team gains no yards. Additionally, the game clock is stopped. However, if the receiver catches the ball, has possession of it (rules vary by league), then loses control of it for any reason, it is ruled a fumble. If a member of the opposing team gains possession of the ball before it hits the ground, it is ruled an interception. If the receiver (or a defending player) is touched by a member of the opposing team in a way that prevents him from catching the ball, it is ruled pass interference, resulting in a penalty against the touching player's team. The exception to this rule is if the ball is deemed 'uncatchable' by the referees, in which case a pass interference penalty is impossible. INCOMPLETION See Incomplete Pass
The Indianapolis Colts American
football club is a National Football League team based in
The team began play in 1953 as a
second incarnation of the previous Baltimore Colts team in the NFL.
The original Colts team began play in 1946 as a charter member of the
All-America Football Conference and joined the NFL in 1950 after the
AAFC merged into the older league, but folded after the season. After
fans in
In 1984, the Colts moved from
Read The Complete
History of The
Year founded:
City: Head Coach: Tony Dungy Team Colors: Royal Blue and White Uniform colors: royal blue and white
Helmet design:
white background, blue horseshoe Home fields
Memorial Stadium ( RCA Dome (1984-present) a.k.a. Hoosier Dome (1984-1993) Indiana Stadium (scheduled to open in 2008)
COLTS INFLUENCE
Referee signal: One palm touching the top of the head with the elbow out to the side. 1 a : an ethereal fluid held to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans b : an emanation of occult power held to derive from stars 2 : an emanation of spiritual or moral force 3 :
4 : the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways : SWAY 5 : one that exerts influence
basicall, it means that the player's injury is severe enough that they don't anticipate him being able to play that year. If he becomes healthy during the season, he still cannot come back until the following season. It's a risk, but by placing them on IR, a team opens up a roster spot for someone else. INJURY REPORT - NFL teams are required to provide injury reports on a daily basis. These reports list player injuries and status for the upcoming game. Injury reports are useful to fantasy team owners when determining who to start and who to cut loose. The reports are somewhat general in nature designating injured players as either "probable" (75% chance of playing), "questionable" (50% chance of playing), "doubtful" (25% chance of playing) or "out" (no chance of playing). NFL teams often use this report strategically and fudge in which category to place injured players to affect how opponents prepare for an upcoming game. However, once a player is designated as officially "out," he can't see any action in the upcoming game. 1. of a player's path: relatively close (in reference to the sides of the field) to where the ball was snapped from. Thus, a ballcarrier's path in crossing the neutral zone may be said to be "inside" of an opponent, or an "inside run" in general, and a rushing defensive player may be said to put on an "inside move" or "inside rush". 2. of the movement of the ball between players: directed toward a player who cuts between a player in the backfield who throws or hands the ball and the place from which it was snapped. Thus, an "inside pass" or "inside handoff". An "inside reverse" (sometimes called a scissors play) is a reverse play via an inside handoff. INSIDE 20 PUNT According to the NFL, "Credit a player with an inside-20 when his punt is not returned to the receivers' 20-yard line or beyond. Also credit an inside-20 when a punt does not penetrate the 20, but the returner carries the ball back inside the 20 and his return ends there. A touchback is not an inside-20. INSIDE 20 PERCENTAGE Inside-20 punts divided by Net Punts.
The referee must see "indisputable visual evidence" for a call to be overturned. If the challenge fails, the original ruling stands and the challenging team is charged with a timeout. If the challenge overrules the previous call, the call is reversed with no loss of a timeout. Prior to the 2004 NFL season, the instant replay rule was slightly changed to allow a third challenge if both of the original two challenges were successful. After the 2-minute warning of each half, and in overtime, reviews can only take place if the replay assistant, who sits in the press box and monitors the network broadcast of the game, determines that a play needs review. In those cases, the replay assistant will contact the referee by a specialized electronic pager with a vibrating alert. One concern about replay that was addressed some years ago was the situation where a coach would seek a review of a non-challengable call (such as being forced out of bounds, or in some cases to challenge a runner down by contact). Prior to the rule being clarified, a team would lose the challenge and a time-out. The current rule does not penalize a team in such a case, provided the rule is not abused or taken advantage of. The NFL replay system currently only covers the following situations:
The replay system replaced a system used during the 1986-87 and 1991-92 seasons where a procedure similar to college football's was used. This is still used in the NFL today. While there is some controversy over the appropriateness of some overturned calls, the system is generally accepted as an effective way to ensure a fair game. In college, coaches are not allowed to request a replay review of a play. However, in Division I-A conferences, a replay official in the press box observes all plays. If he deems a ruling may be in error, he notifies the officials on the field to interrupt the game before the beginning of the next play. The replay official performs the review and relays the decision to the referee, who announces the result. High school rules do not provide for video review of any decisions by officials during the game. Further, the use of television or video tape for coaching purposes during the game is prohibited. If a coach feels a rule has been misinterpreted, he may call timeout and request a coach-referee conference to discuss the ruling with the referee, but no replay equipment will be consulted during the conference.
INT An acronym
for Interception
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports under
INT % An acronym
for Interception Percentage (Interceptions
thrown divided by pass attempts)
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
A forward pass is thrown intentionally away from eligible receivers so that the passer avoids being tackled for a loss NFL penalty: 10 yards or spot of foul, whichever is farther from the original line of scrimmage, and loss of down. If the penalty occurs with less than a minute left in the 1st or 2nd half, a 10-second penalty is also enforced. If it occurs with 10 seconds or less left, the half automatically ends. The 10-second runoff does not apply if the penalized team uses any of the alloted time-outs in lieu of the runoff. The defense, unfortunately, is not credited for a QB sack on intentional grounding penalties. College penalty: Spot of foul and loss of down; defense awarded a quarterback sack in some leagues. In both NFL and college, intentional grounding from the offensive team's own end zone constitutes an automatic safety unless the defense chooses to decline the penalty, which might only ever happen if the infraction had occurred on a fourth-down play. If the quarterback has moved outside of the area between his offensive tackles (the "pocket"), there is no penalty for grounding the ball if the quarterback throws the ball past the line of scrimmage.
There is also no penalty for
"spiking" the ball to stop the game clock, by throwing it
directly into the ground. Referee signal: both hands held out flat, facing each other, in front of the referee, moving down together diagonally roughly from one shoulder to the opposite hip. See Official Ruling
Interceptions are predominantly made by the secondary or the linebackers, who are usually closest to the quarterback's intended targets: the wide receivers. However, it is not uncommon for a defensive lineman to get the occasional interception from a tipped ball or a near sack. Also Known As: pick off, pick
IN THE RED ZONE: See Red Zone IntYd An acronym for Interception Return Yards - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports IR acronym for Injured Reserve
See More on Jim Irsay Here
While previously the owner of the-then Los Angeles Rams, Irsay essentially traded franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom, the-then owner of the Colts in 1972. See More on Robert Irsay Here
VINCENT JACKSON See Jackson Vincent
The Jacksonville
Jaguars American football club is a National Football League team
based in Year founded: 1995
City:
Head Coach: Jack
Uniform colors: Teal, Black, and Gold
Helmet design:
A snarling jaguar head on solid black, with black facemask, white
chinstrap and gold number on the back. Home fields
ALLTEL Stadium (1995-present)
JAGS See
JAGUARS See
JAILBREAK SCREEN PASS See Screen Pass for Full Definintion
JAX See
He is the holder of 38 NFL records, a record in itself. Rice has scored the most touchdowns in NFL history(207), and holds virtually every significant career record for receivers, including receptions (1,549), yards receiving (22,895), all-purpose yards (23,540), touchdown receptions (197) and consecutive games with at least one catch (274). In most cases, the next most prolific player isn't close; for example, he's 67 receiving touchdowns ahead of second place Cris Carter, who is also retired. He is the only one of the top 25 scorers in NFL history who didn't kick the football. Rice also gained 645 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, an extremely large amount for a wide receiver. His postseason stats are equally high. Rice played in 28 postseason games, amassing 2,245 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns, both NFL records, along with 44 rushing yards. He also holds Super Bowl records for most career receptions(33), career receiving yards(589), career touchdown receptions(8), single game receptions(11), single game receiving yards(215), single game touchdown receptions(3, a feat he accomplished twice), career total points(48), single game points(18) and career total yards(604) JIM IRSAY See Irsay, Jim JIM THORPE See Thorpe, Jim
JOHN McNALLY See McNally, John JOHNNY UNITIS See Unitis, Johnny JOSEPH CARR See Carr, Joseph
See I Formation
The Kansas City
Chiefs American football club is a National Football League team
based in
Originally called the
Dallas Texans, the club was founded in 1960 as a charter member of
the American Football League. The team moved to The Chiefs hold the distinction of being the second AFL team (after the New York Jets) to defeat an NFL club in an AFL-NFL World Championship Game when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.
City:
Current Head coach: Herm Edwards
Helmet design:
Red helmet with white arrowhead bearing initials K.C.
Home fields
KEY: Watching a player to try and see the direction in which he is going to be moving. A player may make small movements such as foot placement, etc., that can give away his next move to an observant player who is keying him.
KICKER: See place kicker KICKING GAME: The game strategy revolving around punting and place-kicking.
When a player kicks a ball from a tee at his own 30-yard line (35 in college) to the opposing team, whose player tries to advance it the other way; used to start the game, the second half and overtime, and to restart play after each score. The ball is placed on a tee (or held) at the kicking team's 30 yard line (35 yard line in college and high school). The kicking team's players line up on the field parallel to and behind this line and may not cross it until the ball is kicked. A valid kickoff must travel at least 10 yards (though the ball is usually kicked as far as possible--40 to 70 yards), after which any player (though usually one on the receiving team) tries to catch or pick up the ball and advance it down the field before being downed. Occasionally, the kicking team may set up a kick with the intent to recover it; this onside kick is a play where the kicker tries to kick the ball just over the required 10-yard distance in a manner such that a teammate might catch it after a lucky bounce.
* Onside kick
KICKS FROM SCRIMMAGE See Official Ruling KICK RETURNER See Returner
A quarterback kneel, also called "taking a knee", occurs when the quarterback immediately kneels to the ground after receiving the snap. It is primarily used to run the clock down, either at the end of the first half or the game itself, in order to preserve a lead or a win. Although it generally results in a loss of a yard and a down, it minimizes the risk of a fumble, which would give the other team a chance to score.
KNOCKDOWN Occurs when a defender knocks the opposing team's quarterback to the turf following a running or passing play. Not considered a sack because the quarterback has relinquished possession of the ball by the time the defender hits him.
LAMAR HUNT See Hunt, Lamar
LAME DUCK - A franchise that isn't functioning or whose owner hasn't been adequately managing the team by changing starting lineups to keep play competitive. Generally, it involves a team that has been doing badly or an owner that has lost interest. Many leagues have provisions for taking-over inactive franchises.
a sideways or rearward throwing of the football to a teammate. The pass cannot itself advance the ball, though of course the receiver can advance after catching it. This is distinguished from a forward pass, which moves the ball closer to the goal line. The rules allow forward passes to be thrown only from behind the line of scrimmage. There are virtually no restrictions on the use of laterals. Any number of laterals may be thrown in a given play. Any player may throw a lateral from any position on the field to any other player. (But if the lateral is thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage and it advances the ball, it is considered an illegal forward pass.) If the lateral is complete and the receiver is behind the line of scrimmage, the receiver may in turn throw a forward pass. If the defensive team takes possession of the ball, they may also freely throw laterals, but not forward passes. Unlike a forward pass, if a lateral hits the ground or an official, play continues because the lateral is considered a fumble. The ball may be recovered by either side. In NFL rules a backward pass other than the snap, if muffed by a receiver before it first touches the ground, after it touches the ground the ball becomes dead if an opponent recovers it. See Official Ruling
LEFT GUARD: See Guard
The Left Tackle would be the one on the left of the Quarterbak on the line The left tackle is usually the team's best pass blocker. Most often he will protect the quarterback's blindside (if the quarterback is right-handed) on passing plays and usually will have better footwork and agility than the Right Tackle in order to counter-act the pass rush of defensive ends.
Linebackers play behind the defensive line and perform various duties depending on the situation, including rushing the passer, covering receivers, and defending against the run. Most defensive sets have between two and four linebackers. Linebackers are usually divided into three types: strongside (Left- or Right- Outside Linebacker: LOLB or ROLB); middle (MLB); and weakside (LOLB or ROLB). The strongside linebacker (nicknamed "Sam") usually lines up across from the offense's tight end; he is usually the strongest LB because he must be able to shed lead blockers quickly enough to tackle the running back. The middle linebacker ("Mike" or "Mack") must correctly identify the offense's formations and what adjustments the entire defense must make, all in the fleeting seconds before the offense starts play (by snapping the ball to the quarterback). Because of this, the middle linebacker is nicknamed the 'quarterback of the defense'. The weakside linebacker ("Will") is usually the most athletic or fastest linebacker, because he usually must defend an open field.
Linebackers for
YOU KNOW THEYRE DOING THEIR JOB WHEN: The ball advances no more than four yards from where it started. Then theyre doing their job&ldots; but theyre still doing it pretty crappy. The closer to the line of scrimmage, the better theyre doing. YOU KNOW THEYRE NOT WHEN: The further away from the line of scrimmage the ball goes, the more theyre sucking.
Click Here to see where The Line Judge is Positioned on the Field Responsibilities and positioning of each game official. Referee Umpire Head Linesman Line Judge Field Judge Side Judge Back Judge
There are two types of linemen: offensive linemen and defensive linemen. The offensive linemen comprise of the offensive line, while the defensive linemen comprise of the defensive line.
A linemen
can be a tackle,
guard,
or center
on offense, (see offensive linemen and defensive linemen). Lineman protect and block for the backs. On running plays, the linemen block defensive players out of the way of the ball carrier. This is called run blocking. When the quarterback throws a pass, the linemen remain stationary and allow the defense to come to them. This is referred to as pass blocking. Linemen are not allowed to touch the ball except for the center and the split ends.
An imaginary line which no player
may cross before the snap;
each team has its own line of scrimmage, separated by the neutral
zone. It is the line from which the next play will begin. When the players of both teams line up to begin the next play, no member of either team may, prior to the snap of the ball, cross the line of scrimmage. This region around the line of scrimmage is also known as the neutral zone. In order for there to be a legal beginning of a play, a certain number of the players on the offensive team, including certain eligible receivers, must be at, on or within a few inches of the line of scrimmage.
Sportvision provides
a product called 1st & Ten which allows broadcasts of American
football to include a visible yellow line which may represent the
line of scrimmage or the minimum distance that the ball must be moved
for the offensive team to achieve a first
down.
LINEUP
LIONS
See
A "bad snap" is a snap which causes the delay of a kick or the failure of a play. It is usually because of an inaccurate snap. The long snapper still performs the normal tasks of a center and also runs downfield after the ball has been punted to help defend the punt return. Most teams employ a specialist long snapper instead of requiring the normal center to perform this duty.
See Down Example: it is 2nd down 5 yards to go for a first down and Intentional grounding was called - 10 Yard penalty is imposed and loss of down resulting in 3rd down and 15 yards for a first down See Official Rulings
LNG An acronym
for Longest
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT
Reports for
LST An acronym
for Fumbles lost
- usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports L YDS abbreviation for lost yards (found in STAT records)
MANNING, PEYTON Click Here
a player on offense who is moving backwards or parallel to the line of scrimmage just before the snap. In American football, only one offensive player can be in motion at a time, cannot be moving toward the line of scrimmage at the snap, and may not be a player who is on the line of scrimmage. In Canadian football, more than one back can be in motion, and may move in any direction as long as they are behind the line of scrimmage at the snap.
MAROONS
See MARVIN HARRISON: Click here
Johnny Blood (as he came to be known) was an integral example for players of every position. He was incredibly intelligent as a young man and graduated high school at 14, but was fairly unathletic for most of his youth. However, in his days at St. John College he became not only the captain of the basketball team, but a letterman in track, baseball, and of course football, all in his junior year. Career highlights Johnny got his first professional position with the '25-'26 Milwaukee Badgers, where he became famous as the "Vagabond Halfback." His off-the-field behavior and spontenaiety probably attracted more attention than his unlikely skill. He was 6'1" and 188 bs. in his prime; tall, slender, and vicious. He was ridiculously fast and agile, had excellent pass catching ability, and passed, punted, and tackled with the best of them. Between 1929 and 1936 he played with the Green Bay Packers, who with him on the field won four championships. He amassed a total of 14 seasons with 5 different teams. In 1937 He was moved to the Pittsburgh Steelers (then the Pirates) where his first play he returned a 92 yard kick for a touchdown, in what is probably the most stunning debut a player has ever had for any team. He ended his career in 1939 as the coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
John McNally died MEASUING See Official Ruling
The Miami Dolphins American
football club is a National Football League team based in In 1972, the Dolphins completed the NFL's only perfect season to date, winning every regular season game, two playoff games and Super Bowl VII. The team also won Super Bowl VIII and has appeared in 3 other Super Bowls.
For most of their history, the
Dolphins were coached by Don Shula, the winningest head coach in
professional football history. His Dolphins teams posted losing
records in only 2 of his 26 seasons with the club. In 1972 the
Dolphins became the first and only NFL team to complete a 14-game
regular season (and the entire postseason) without a loss.
Five future Hall of Fame members played for
City: Head Coach: Nick Saban
Team Colors:
Aqua Green, Coral Uniform colors: Aqua Green and Orange (Dark Blue was added to the logo and uniforms as an accent color in the late 90's by then coach, Jimmy Johnson). The Dolphins primarily wear white jerseys at home, except for night contests when they dress in aqua jerseys. Since the 2003 season, the Dolphins have worn an alternate orange jersey once each season for nationally televised contests. They are 2-0 in games wearing the alternate jersey.
Helmet design:
A dolphin wearing a football helmet, jumping in front of an orange sunburst Home fields
Miami Orange Bowl (1966-1986)
Also Known As: nose guard, nose tackle MIDDLE SCREEN See Screen Pass for Full Definition
MIKE the middle linebacker.
Hall of Famers
Jimmy Conzelman, Class of 1964
The American football club is
a National Football League team based in
The Vikings have won their division 16 times, and became the first team to appear in four Super Bowls. But the club also became the first one to lose 4 Super Bowls.
City:
Team Colors: Purple, Gold, and White
Head Coach:
Brad Childress Home fields:
Metropolitan
Stadium (1961-1981)
MO the other middle linebacker in a 3-4 formation. MOCK DRAFT (fantasy football term) 'pretend' draft, usually conducted by fantasy football experts, designed as a drafting aid to indicate the value of players. Mock drafts give fantasy owners an idea of the likely draft position of individual players. MOTION: When an offensive player begins to move laterally behind the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. An offense often tries to confuse the defense by sending a receiver or running back in motion. Motion refers to the movement of an offensive player prior to the snap of the ball and while all other offensive players are in an unmoving, set stance. Motion can only be parallel to or away from the line of scrimmage. Motion by the offense changes the offensive formation and makes the defense adjust its coverage and formation.
MULTIPLE OFFENSE: offense strategy using a number of formations.
MVP: Most Valuable Player. An award given to the best player in a game or for the season. Previous award winners.
It began in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The NFC was formed with most of the teams that played in the NFL before the merger. Playoff Structure For more details on this topic, see NFL playoffs. At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the NFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the NFC Championship game. NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE See NFC
Prior to the 1960s, the most popular version of American football was played collegiately. After the 1958 NFL Championship Game (which went into overtime), the NFL's greatest spurt in popularity came in the 1960s and 1970s with the merger of the rival American Football League, or AFL (1960-1969). Currently, the league's 32 teams are divided into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference is then further divided into four divisions consisting of four teams each.
During the league's regular season,
each team plays 16 games over a 17-week period generally from
September to December. At the end of each regular season, six teams
from each conference play in the NFL
playoffs, a 12-team
single-elimination tournament that culminates with the NFL
championship, the Super
Bowl. This game is held at
a pre-selected site which is usually a city that hosts an NFL team.
One week later, selected all-star players from both the AFC and NFC
meet in the Pro Bowl, currently held in Some tend to refer to it as No Fun League NECCASSARY LINE: A line the offense must cross to get a new first down. When a team gets a first down, the new necessary line is exactly ten yards away NET AVG An acronym for Net Punting Average - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports NET KICKOFF AVERAGE Kickoff Yards, minus Return Yards, minus 20 yards for every Touchback, divided by Kickoffs.
NET An acronym
for Net
Punting Average - usually
found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports Gross punting yards, minus Return Yards, minus 20 yards for every Touchback, divided by Total Punts NET PUNTS Punt attempts which were not blocked.
The neutral zone can be described as the length of the football from one tip to the other when it is spotted on the field prior to the start of the next play. No member of either team may be "inside" the neutral zone when the ball is snapped or a penalty will be called.
A new definition of
the neutral zone came into effect after a Exception: The offensive player (Center) who snaps the ball.
Nevers attended
The New England Patriots American
football club is a National Football League team based in Originally called the Boston Patriots, the team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger. The club was renamed "New England Patriots" in 1971 after moving from Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts to Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough.
City:
Head Coach: Bill Belichick Team Colors: Blue, Red, Silver, and White
Helmet design:
A man's face in silhouette, wearing a red-white-and-blue tricorn hat.
The man's sideburns and stylized hat led to the nickname "Flying
Elvis" Home fields:
Nickerson Field (1960-1962)
Gillette Stadium (2002-present)
City:
Team Colors: Old Gold, Black, and White Helmet design: Gold helmet with a black fleur-de-lis Head Coach: Sean Payton Home fields
Tulane Stadium (1967-1974)
Alamodome (Half of
the 2005 season) * To be determined due to damage by Hurricane Katrina (2006)
Due to damage caused
by Hurricane Katrina
to the
Currently, the Saints
are one of four teams, along with
The New York Giants
American football club is a National Football League team that
originated in
Formerly known as:
The New York Football Giants
The Giants were
founded in 1925 by original owner Tim Mara with an investment of $500
and became one of the first teams of the NFL. Mara owned the team
until his death in 1959; it was passed to his son Year founded: 1925
City:
East Team Colors: Royal Blue, Red, Gray, and White Uniform colors: Royal blue with red trim Helmet design: Royal blue, with a white lower-case "ny" logo Head Coach: Tom Coughlin Home field: Giants Stadium (1976-present) Unofficial Nickname(s): Big Blue, G-Men
The New York Jets
American football club is a National Football League team based in
the Originally called the New York Titans, the team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League. The club was renamed the "Jets" after Sonny Werblin bought the team in 1963. The Jets then joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger. The Jets hold the distinction of being the first AFL team to defeat an NFL club in an AFL-NFL World Championship Game when they defeated the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
City:
East Head Coach : Eric Mangini Team Colors: Green and White Uniform colors: Green and White
Helmet design:
A green oval, with the letters "NY" superimposed, and
superimposed over that, the word "JETS" and a football Home fields:
Polo Grounds (19601963)
These 16 teams are organized into four divisions (North, South, East, and West) of four teams each. Each team plays the other teams in their division twice (home & away) during the regular season in addition to 10 other games/teams assigned to their schedule by the NFL in the April before. 2 of these games are assigned on the basis of the teams' final record in the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions. This assignment shifts each year. For instance, in the 2005 regular season, each team in the NFC East will play a game apiece against each team in both the AFC West and the NFC West. In this way division competition consists of common opponents, with the exception of the 2 games assigned on the strength of the each team's prior season record. At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the NFC are played, consisting of the four division champions by place standing and the top two remaining non division champion teams ("wildcards") by record. The two teams remaining play in the NFC Championship game with the winner receiving the George Halas Trophy. The NFC Champion plays the AFC Champion in the Super Bowl.
Last updated 2005
When the division was created after
the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970, the division also included the St. Louis
Cardinals. Despite relocating to
The NFC North currently has four members: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings. Thus the division contains the same alignment as the original NFC Central that was created after the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970, and which originally acquired the "Black and Blue" monicker.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the
fifth member of the NFC Central in 1977 after they spent their first
year in the league as a member of the AFC West, but they were moved
to the NFC South after the 2002 re-alignment. With the departure of
The NFC South currently has four members: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prior to the 2002 realignment, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers belonged to the NFC Central while the other three teams were part of the NFC West.
When the division was created after
the AFL-NFL Merger in 1970, the division had the following four
teams: Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, and The 2002 re-alignment changed the entire look of the NFC West. The Falcons, Panthers, and Saints moved out into the NFC South, while the Cardinals and Seahawks moved in. NFL See National Football League NFL CHAMPIONSHIP: the game held from 1933 through 1965 to decide the champion of professional football; renamed the Super Bowl in 1966. NFL PLAYOFFS The National Football League (NFL) playoffs is a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the 16-game regular season to determine the NFL champion. Throughout the years, the format has changed to include more teams into the tournament. Currently, the NFL playoffs consist of 12 teams (6 from each of the league's two conferences) and ends with the Super Bowl, the league's championship game.
see Playoffs
A defensive back is referred to as a nickel back when he is the fifth defensive back on the field. a cornerback who serves as the fifth defensive back on defense. Like a dimeback, nickelbacks are backup corners (as opposed to the #1 and #2 corners, who are considered starters). Nickelback is usually played by a slightly better cornerback than dimeback and the player must be better at run defense, as the nickel formation is mainly used as a compromise between run and pass defense formations.
The alignment features four downed linemen, two linebackers, and five defensive backs. Teams usually switch to a nickel defense when the opposition's offense is in obvious passing situations.
NICKEL FORMATION See Nickle Defense
NINERS
See No. abbreviation for number
The no-huddle offense is a tactic in American football designed to minimize clock usage and/or to keep defense's off-guard. The offense has a series of plays called in a single huddle, from the sideline, or at the line of scrimmage, and run those plays consecutively without going into a huddle. This keeps the defense from calling different plays to counter the situation. It also hampers the defense's ability to switch players in and out as the offense controls the play. The no-huddle offense is most often used at the end of a half either the first half (for momentum) or the end of the game (to possibly win the game). Commentators and fans sometimes use the term "no-huddle offense" to describe a hurry-up offense (also known as a two-minute drill), a formation or series of formations and plays scripted in practice and designed to score from any point on the field in under two minutes. However, the no-huddle is sometimes used by teams to take the advantage away from the defense at any point in the game. If a team is trailing in the fourth quarter, they may opt for a hurry-up offense with more than two minutes remaining, and in Super Bowl XXXIX the Philadelphia Eagles were criticized for not doing exactly this when 24-14 down with just under six minutes remaining, almost four of which were used up in the touchdown drive. Some teams like to use it to try to gain momentum in the middle of the game if their offense is struggling. Other teams, like the Indianapolis Colts under Peyton Manning and the Buffalo Bills under Jim Kelly's K-Gun offense, sometimes go almost the whole game without ever getting in a real huddle.
Also Known As: nose tackle, middle guard A nose guard is generally big and strong enough to take on double teams on a consistent basis.
The primary responsibilities of the nose tackle are to stop the run and to occupy the offensive lineman to keep them from blocking the linebackers. Why they have the term as a "TACKLE" is beyond me, it turns out they hardly ever tackle anything at allWhat they do do is line up directly opposite the center, and at the snap they run headlong into his chest. Then they push and shove with the offense's center for about 25 seconds, by which time a bunch of other people heve done important things that will have ramifications on the game's progress Unlike the offensive line, where the middle five guys are pretty much set, you wont always see the nose tackle on the line, so dont get freaked out if you dont always see him out there. The nose tackle is pretty much an obsolete position in modern defense. Nowadays, you're much more likely to see four guys up there on the front line, with the defensive tackles pulling double duty. YOU KNOW HES DOING HIS JOB WHEN: The quarterback hands the ball to a runner who heads smack towards the center of the line and then either veers off, bounces off, or gets swallowed up entirely at the line of scrimmage for no yardage. YOU KNOW HES NOT WHEN: The quarterback hands the ball to a runner who heads smack towards the center of the line and keeps going, like a gerbil coated in Crisco. Just remember to make sure the nose tackle is on the field before you blame him. Also known as Nose Gaurd
The Oakland Raiders
American football club is a National Football League team based in The Raiders began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger. The team has won one AFL title and three Super Bowls.
In 1982,
City:
Head Coach: Art Shell
Uniform colors:
Helmet design:
Silver with a black shield with crossed swords and image of a Raider. Home fields
Kezar Stadium (1960)
ODDS: The returns on money bet on a game, based on the likely outcome of the game as determined by an Oddsmaker (see below). ODDSMAKER: One who establishes the odds for sports betting.
The main goal of an offense is to pass or run the football into the opposing team's goal for a touchdown. The offense plays against the other team's defense. The offensive team or offense is the team that begins a play from scrimmage in possession of the ball. A play usually begins with the quarterback taking a snap from the center, and then either handing off to a back, passing to a receiver or a back, or running the ball himself. The object of the offensive team is to put scores for their team. Usually the sign that their goal is accomplished for the offensive team is the Touchdown. The offensive unit in American football consists of a quarterback, linemen, backs, and receivers. The function of most of the linemen is to block. The offensive line consists of a center, two guards, two tackles and one or two tight ends. Backs include running backs (or tailbacks) who frequently carry the ball, and a fullback, who usually blocks, and occasionally carries the ball or receives a pass. The primary function of the wide receivers is to catch passes. The ultimate makeup of the offense and how it operates is governed by the head coach or offensive coordinator's offensive philosophy. On offense, there are three type of players: linemen, backs, and receivers. The players' abilities combined with the coach's philosophy will determine what formations a team will run their plays out of. Also, in many cases a coach will choose players with abilities that complement certain offensive formations and plays he likes. The basic offensive positions and those players' duties, however, generally do not vary from team to team. The position name (as well as the initial abbreviations recognized by coaches, players, and fans alike, shown in quotes below) may vary from one team's playbook to another, but these are the ones most commonly used:
BACKS
The quarterback starts play by receiving the ball from the center. On a running play, he can hand the ball off to one of his running backs (or occasionally, run the ball himself). On passing plays, he can throw the ball to a wide receiver, a tight end, or a running back. Offensive lineman are ineligible to catch the ball unless they report as eligible to the officials before the play. Running Backs are usually divided into Halfbacks and Fullbacks. The names are an anachronism from the days when the most common formation was the I-formation. In the I-formation, the Quarterback, Halfback, and Fullback all line up in a line, with the Half back twice as far back as the Quarterback, and the Fullback twice as far back as the Halfback. Today, they are more easily divided by their role in the offense. The halfback is the one who runs most often, while the fullback is usually used as a lead blocker. Of course, the fullback may run the ball occasionally as well. On passing plays, the running backs may either have a route to run, which means they are one of the eligible receivers on the play, or they may be kept back to help the offensive lineman block. See also Offensive Linemen
Similarly, there is the defensive coordinator who is in charge of the defense.
Here is a list of various offensive formations with the number of each position:
Note that the description above applies only to a line that is balanced, i.e. that has equal numbers of players on both sides of the player who is to snap the ball. In an unbalanced line, there may be players designated "guard" next to each other. See Guard
A foul in which an offensive player keeps a defender from advancing by grasping him with his hands or arms. Offensive linemen are allowed to use their hands as long as they keep them to the inside of a defenders body, but if they get to the outside of the defender's body, it is a penalty. Offensive holding results in a 10-yard penalty against the offending team.
Every offensive line consists of a center, two offensive guards, and two offensive tackles. From left to right they are the left tackle, the left guard, the center, the right guard, and the right tackle. In the NFL, the offensive linemen are the only offensive players allowed to have numbers between 50 and 79. On passing plays, the offensive lineman's job is to prevent defensive players from tackling the quarterback (pass blocking). On running plays, the offensive lineman's job is to make holes in the defense that a running back can run through (run blocking). The center also has to initiate the play by snapping the ball to the quarterback
Offensive Line for
Referee signal: two arms in front of the body with palms out and fingers up, moved in a pushing motion out. Offensive pass interference results in a 10-yard penalty on the offending team.
Offensive nomenclature In the calling of a play, just like on defense, there are condensed play calls that are translated into more complicated plays in the heads of each player. An example of a running play the quarterback would call in the huddle would be: Pro Left 35 Power The first word denotes the formation of the offense; in this case it is the Pro Set, a one tight end, two wide receiver formation where the fullback and running back line up at equal depths in the backfield, one player to either side. The second word indicates the strong side of the formation, generally the side featuring the tight end and flanker (a wide receiver lined up away from the line of scrimmage) in most formations. The split end receiver lines up on the opposite (weak) side, on the line of scrimmage. The tailback also lines up on the weakside. There are formations where there are exceptions like I-form, where the tailback is lined up neither left nor right, since the tailback is inline with the fullback and quarterback, or trips bunch, where all three receivers are on the same side. The first digit in the number ('3' in the above example) denotes who the ball is going to: * 10 - Quarterback * 20 - Fullback * 30 - Tailback/Running Back * 40 - Third running back or slotback (rarely used in American football, generally used in Canadian football in wishbone formation if at all because of the 12th player available) The second digit in the number ('5' in the above example) denotes where the ball carrier will pass thru the line (between two linemen, called the "hole"). The holes are even to the right of the center and odd to the left of the center. In this case,
The last word indicates the type of play. In this case ("power"), the fullback would be leading the running back through the hole. The receivers have their own designations too:
* X - * Y - Tight End / Slot Receiver * Z - Wide Out Here is a diagram of how the formation would look based on the play called:
Were this to be the Base I formation, with the tight end on the right, then there would be a 6 hole, which would be outside the tight end. As it is, this play would be a run between the tackle and the tight end. Passing uses a different type of naming. Since it is not always certain who the ball is going to, each receiver has a route. An example is:
Again, the I is the formation, and there is no formation modifier word this time. However, there is the "Y-Motion" call (this is an arbitrary name, there are different ways of calling motion for every coach.). In this case it refers to the Y-receiver, and calls for him to motion across the formation to the other side moments before the snap is called. This time the digits correspond to 3 different receivers, and each digit represents a number on the passing tree. The first digit is the X receiver, the second is the Y receiver, and the last is the Z receiver.
In this case, the split end is running a slant, the tight end is running a drag, and the wide out is running a corner. The H-Swing call is a route for the backfield, in this case a swing route for the halfback (tailback). This call is optional, the absence of which calls for the halfback to block. In both running and passing plays, blocking schemes are tacit and rehearsed. Different types of plays call for different schemes and those differences can also be encoded in the play. For example, plays in the 200s might designate play action pass protection whereas the 300s might refer to a blocking scheme designed for long QB drops. Passing plays call for the linemen to step back and protect against the pass rush, with the backs and tight ends occasionally helping. There is variation to this, in the form of sprintouts, rollouts, play action passes and screen passes. Running plays call for the linemen to get a push against the defense, moving forward to help the running back gain yardage by opening holes and blocking would-be tacklers. Variations may be pulling guards (often used on trap, counter, and other plays to the outside) and draw plays. Running plays Often the choice of running play depends on the strengths of an offensive team, and the weaknesses of the defense they are opposing. For example, plays to the outside of the offensive tackles are often advantageous for a team fielding a fast running back, since it would ostensibly reduce the effectiveness of the slower defensive linemen, whereas inside runs would be favoured by a slower "power" running back, since the back is easier to tackle running to a side rather than straight ahead. Some plays also offer better cutback lanes to better allow an agile running back to make defenders miss and thereby increase yardage.
Similarly, run strategy can be
decided by the weaknesses of the defense. A weakness of the interior
defensive linemen, the tackles, may be targeted by running a lot of
runs inside, since theoretically the offensive guards could moving
the tackles at will, creating wide open holes for the back to run
through. A team with weak defensive ends may have trouble containing
the runner outside, and the offense would therefore look to get
outside and break off some big runs.
* Bootleg
Sometimes, a run play
and pass play is mixed in play called "Flea-Flicker" which
is a trick play, where the Quarterback hands the ball to the Running
Back who pretends to run but stops immediately and under-arms the
ball back to the Quarterback. Most of the times, when the ball is
handed to the Running Backs, the Corner Backs (covering the
receivers), think it as a running play and cease covering the
receivers and return toward the line of scrimmage for run support.
The Quarterback can then take advantage passing the ball to wide open
receivers for long yardage. If successfully executed, this play often
results in a touchdown. SPECIAL OFFENSIVE PLAYS
* "Spiking"
the football SPECIFIC OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES There are several offensive strategies that have evolved over the years, especially after the NFL outlawed most downfield contact on receivers (that is, past the 5 yard "chuck" zone, where most contact is allowed). Thus, recent strategies attempt to utilize the passing game to open up the defense, as it is less predictable and carries the possibility for greater gain.
* The
"West Coast" offense
A tackle is the strong position on the offensive line. They power their blocks with quick steps and maneuverability. The tackles are mostly in charge of the outside protection. If the tight end goes out for a pass, the tackle must cover everyone that his guard isnt, plus what the tight end isnt covering in case his man comes in to make pressure. Usually they defend against defensive ends. The left tackle is usually the team's best pass blocker. Most often he will protect the quarterback's blindside (if the quarterback is right-handed) on passing plays and usually will have better footwork and agility than the Right Tackle in order to counter-act the pass rush of defensive ends. The right tackle is usually the team's best run blocker. Most running plays are towards the strong side (the side with the Tight End) of the offensive line. Consequently the Right Tackle will face the defending team's best run stoppers. He must be able to gain traction in his blocks so that the running back can find a hole to run through.
The Left and Right Tackles On the far side of the guards come the really big boys - the tackles. They're really big for two reasons. The first is that they're on the outside ends of the formation, and they need to make sure that nobody, but nobody does an end-run around the formation and loops back behind the line to drop the quarterback before he does whatever it is he's going to do with the ball. The second is that he has to have the extra horsepower to blow a hole in the defensive line to create a running lane - a gap through which a guy can run the football through the enemy line. You know they're doing their jobs when: If the QB is still standing at the end of a play, and the running backs find an inside path into enemy territory. You know they aren't when: Three things - if the running back coming up the center can't make forward progress, if any of the other guys manage to bully through the center to the quarterback, or if somebody manages to slip around them and get to the QB from the sides.
They are traditionally clad in a black-and-white striped shirt, white pants with a black belt, and black shoes. Thus, officials are often called zebras The crew of officials consists of a
Click Here to see where The Officials are Positioned on the Field Terminology associated with Officiating
OFF SEASON: When the football teams don't play; February through the middle of August. The period of the year after the final game is over and before training camp opens. The NFL Draft, free agent signings, and mini-camps are all regular off-season events for the NFL.
any part of a player is in or past the neutral zone when the ball is snapped. Unlike offensive players, defensive players are not compelled to come to a set position before the snap, so if a defender jumps across the line but gets back to his side before the snap there is no penalty. In the case of an offsides penalty, play is not stopped, and the penalty is announced at the conclusion of the play. The offense can thus decline the penalty and take the yardage gained on the play - unlike in the case of a false start penalty against the offense, whereupon the play is immediately stopped by the officials. An offside infraction results in a five-yard penalty against the offending team. Referee signal: both hands placed on hips, with elbows pointing outwards. see Official Signal
When running off-tackle, a running back can take the ball either outside the tackle or around the tight end. The fullback's duty is to block the outside linebacker, giving the ball carrier room to run.
O J Simpson
It was the first US team in any kind of football because it consisted of a regular roster of players, as opposed to the pick-up games commonly played at the time. The Oneida Foot Ball Club was undefeated for most of its seasons between 1862 and 1867, when it folded. It is believed to have had an influence on the "Boston Game", a code which was popular in the area until the 1870s, perhaps longer.
The team consisted of a group of
The Oneida Foot Ball Club played
many of its games on the Boston Common, where it is commemorated by a
plaque. It played matches against pickup teams throughout the An onside kick must travel at least 10 yards before the kicking team can legally touch it, however, the ball does not have to be touched by a defender before the kicking team attempts to recover it. This is usually attempted in the closing minutes of play when a team needs to score again quickly in order to have a chance of winning the game.
In the history of the National
Football League, there never has been a team quite like the Oorang
Indians. Members of the NFL in 1922 and 1923, the Oorang Indians were
organized by Walter Lingo, the owner of the Oorang Dog Kennels in the
small town of LaRue, Ohio. Lingo organized the team for the sole
purpose of advertising his kennel and selling a breed of dog known as
the Airedale. "Let me tell you about my big publicity
stunt," Lingo wrote in a 1923 edition of Oorang Comments, his
monthly magazine devoted to singing the praises of Airedales.
"You know Jim Thorpe, dont you, the Sac and Fox Indian, the
worlds greatest athlete, who won the all-around championship at the
Olympic Games in
Lingo went on to explain that he
had placed Thorpe in charge of an all-Indian football team that
toured the countrys leading cities for the express purpose of
advertising his Airedale dogs. The team roster included such names as
Long Time Sleep, Joe Little Twig, Big Bear, War Eagle, and Thorpe.
Since Lingos plan was to advertise his dogs and kennel, the Indians
played only one home game. However, since tiny LaRue had no football
field the game was actually played in neighboring The Indians were not a very good team. In fact, they won only three games in two years. Of course the players must have found it difficult to take their football seriously when you consider what Lingo had in mind. The pre-game and halftime activities were more important than the results of the game. Entertainment, both prior to the games and during halftimes, was provided by the players and the Airedale dogs. There were shooting exhibitions with the dogs retrieving the targets. There were Indian dances and tomahawk and knife-throwing demonstrations. Long Time Sleep even wrestled a bear on occasion. At first the Oorang Indians were an excellent gate attraction. However, the novelty eventually wore off and Lingo pulled his financial backing. So, at the end of the 1923 season, the Oorang Indians, undoubtedly pro footballs most unusual team, folded their tents and shut down for good.
Soon, colors were added to the face masks as another way to distinguish players and teams. See Facemask OPEN UP HOLES: To push the opposition aside by blocking them to open up holes in their defense through which a runner can pass with the ball.
OPP An acronym for Opponent - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports
There are two basic kinds of option: Triple Option or Double Option. The difference is in how many choices the quarterback has during the play. A triple option typically features a running back who goes forward into the line of scrimmage and another running back who runs parallel to the line of scrimmage in the backfield. The quarterback takes the snap, reads the actions of what's called the dive read defender, and decides if he wants to hand the ball to the running back who is running forward into the line. If he decides not to give the ball to that running back, then he will keep the ball and continue running parallel, alongside the other running back, down the line of scrimmage. He then reads the actions of another defender who is called the pitch read. That defender's actions determine if the quarterback will keep the ball and turn upfield with it himself, or pitch the ball to the running back. The double option is essentially the same play minus the first running back. In addition, various forms of the double option and triple option may allow the quarterback the choice of passing the ball. In this case, the pitch read is faked, with the quarterback motioning as if to pitch, before the quarterback drops into the pocket in preparation to pass. Due to the complexity of the option play, with multiple possibilities for the defense to account for, the double and triple option plays, as well as the option-pass, often form the basis of a particular team's offensive scheme. Variants of the option-based attack are run out of multiple formations and schemes, including the Wishbone formation, the Flexbone formation, the Veer formation, the Air option, the Spread offense, the Double Wing T, the Freeze option, and the I-formation. The option offense is most frequently utilized in the collegiate and high school ranks. It is rarely used in the National Football League for several reasons, the chief ones being the fact that option quarterbacks are generally smaller and subject to frequent tackles. Thus, few professional teams, whose quarterbacks have multi-million dollar contracts, are willing to increase their risk of injury in an era where a number of rules have been enacted to protect them. As mentioned, use of the option offense is rare in the NFL. However, Jim L. Mora, the head coach of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons, has devised a system derived from the option offense for quarterback Michael Vick, an option quarterback while at Virginia Tech, to take advantage of Vick's athleticism.
On a pitch play, the running back usually tries to get to the outside quicker than the defense so he can turn the corner and run in the direction of the goal line
overtime periods are 15 minutes in length and are "sudden death", meaning that the team that scores first, by any means, wins, and the game automatically ends. A coin flip is employed to determine which team will gain possession first; the winning team has the option to either receive the kickoff or choose the side of the field they wish to defend. During the regular season in the NFL, one overtime period is played, and if neither team scores during overtime, the game officially ends in a tie. In the playoffs, as many overtimes are played as are necessary to determine a winner. Also See Official Ruling for Sudden Death The Over/Under 4-3 defense is a variation of the basic 4-3 defense that allows the defense to shift more linemen to the suspected point of attack. The alignment features four down linemen and three linebackers in the front seven, just as in a basic 4-3. If you take a look at the illustration on the right, you will see a diagram outlining the Over 4-3 alignment. The Os in the diagram represent offensive players while the Xs represent the placement of the defensive players. Another lines up off the line, just outside the weak-side defensive end. The third linebacker lines up off the line, but in the gap between the weak-side tackle and end. When in the Over 4-3, the strength of the defense is on the offense's strong side. With a simple shift to the Under 4-3, the strength of the defense moves to the weak side. To get from the Over formation to the Under, simply shift the defensive tackles over one spot so that they are now over the center and the weak-side guard. The linebacker playing the gap between the weak-side tackle and end then shifts to the gap created between the strong-side tackle and end. Two cornerbacks (CB), one on each side of the field, line up to cover the wide receivers. There are also two safeties. The exact position of the defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) depends on the type of pass coverage they are in.
PACKERS See Greenbay Packers
PANTHERS See Carolina Panthers
Throwing the ball so that it ends up further downfield than it started is a forward pass. A pass that goes backward or parallel to the line of scrimmage is considered a lateral.
Defensive backs are generally pass defenders, but linebackers and even occasionally linemen will drop back in coverage.
PASS DEFLECTED also known as Pass defensed, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player. This is done by slapping or blocking the ball. A deflected pass should not be confused with an interception.
The Passer Rating is calculated using each quarterback's completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns and interceptions . The NFL's current "passer rating" or "quarterback rating" system (the former term being the official one) was conceived by Pro Football Hall of Fame's Don Smith in 1973; it was then applied retroactively to all previous seasons. The system is of a sliding-scale design, where outstanding performances meet diminishing returns faster than sub-par ones. The best passer rating that a quarterback can obtain under it is 158.3 (technically 158.333?), while the worst is zero. Conceptually, the average rating would be 79.2 (technically 79.166?), since this is equidistant between zero and 158.3, but the architects of the rating had 66.66? in mind as the "average" score (100 * [1.00*4]/6). The cumulative league-wide average passer rating for the years 2000 through 2003, all inclusive, was 78.9 (the figure is typically rounded to the nearest 1/10 of a point); however in 2004 the league average was 82.8, the highest ever recorded. This may be due, at least in part, to stricter rules regarding pass interference. The passer rating is known formally in college football as the passing efficiency rating; it is based on player performances between 1965 and 1979. Rating Formula: Step 1: Complete passes divided by pass attempts. Subtract 0.3, then divide by 0.2 Step 2: Passing yards divided by pass attempts. Subtract 3, then divide by 4. Step 3: Touchdown passes divided by pass attempts, then divide by .05. Step 4: Start with .095, and subtract interceptions divided by attempts. Divide the difference by .04. The sum of each step cannot be greater than 2.375 or less than zero. Add the sum of the Steps 1 through 4, multiply by 100 and divide by 6.
Defensive pass interference awards the offensive team the ball at the spot of the foul with an automatic first down. Offensive pass interference results in a 10-yard penalty against the offense. See Official Ruling Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling or cutting in front of the receiver or pulling on the receiver's arms. It does not include catching or batting the ball before it reaches the receiver. Once the ball touches any player the above rules no longer apply and the defender may tackle the receiver or attempt to prevent him from gaining control of the ball. Once a forward pass is in the air it is a loose ball and thus any eligible receiver may try to catch it (all defensive players are eligible receivers). When a defensive player catches a forward pass it is an interception and his team gains possession of the ball. Some actions that are defined as pass interference may be overlooked if the defender is attempting to catch or bat the ball rather than focusing on the receiver. The intended receiver may find himself a defender if a defensive player has a better chance to catch a forward pass. If an offensive player commits pass interference against a defensive player attempting to intercept a forward pass it is offensive pass interference. In the NFL the penalty for defensive pass interference is an automatic first down at the spot of the foul; in college football, the maximum penalty is 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. If the foul occurs in the end zone, the ball will be placed at the one-yard line. The penalty for offensive pass interference is 10 yards from the previous spot. It is not unheard of for defensive players to deliberately commit pass interference where the intended receiver is sure to make a huge gain or a touchdown after the catch. The pass interference penalty stops the ball at the spot of the foul. PASSING EFFICIENCY also known as pass efficiency, is an abstract number, derived from several statistics, intended as a measurement of the effectiveness of a quarterback passing the ball in NCAA or NFL football. The NCAA passing efficiency for a quarterback is determined by the following formula: ((Y x 8.4) + (T x 330) - (I x 200) + (C x 100)) / A ...where Y = number of yards passed, T = number of touchdowns scored, I = number of interceptions thrown, C = number of completions, and A = number of attempts to pass. The NFL system is similar, but uses Y x 4.17 for assigning a value to the yards passed, and forms a plateau for the low and high ends of the completion percentage, with a 30% completion being minimum and a 77.5% completion being maximum. Quarterbacks who have lower or higher completion percentages are treated as the minimum or maximum respectively.
You can go to this
site to have it calculate the formula for you PASSING GAME: The offensive strategy dealing with throwing the ball and receiving forward passes.
The pass pattern a receiver runs is determined by the play called in the huddle before the play. Also Known As: Pass Route PASS PROTECTION: blocking by offensive players to keep defenders away from the quarterback on passing plays. PASS ROUTE: See Pass Pattern PASS RUSH: The rush by the defense to try and tackle the quarterback before he can complete a pass. A surge by defenders to get past blockers and sack the quarterback. A pass rush can come in a number of different forms. Teams often pass rush just three or four down linemen, or they can also use one or more linebackers or defensive backs to add a blitz to their pass rush.
Also Known As: point after touchdown, extra point On an attempted PAT, the ball is placed on the 2-yard line in the NFL, or the 3-yard line in college or high school and is generally kicked from inside the ten-yard line PATS See New England Patriots PATRIOTS See New England Patriots PCT An acronym for Percentage - usually found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports in the PASSING STATISTICS
PD
An acronym
for Pass
Defensed - usually
found in a Teams or Individual Players STAT Reports Any pass which a defender, through contact with the football, causes to be incomplete
Because football is a high-contact sport requiring a balance between offense and defense, many rules exist that regulate safety, contact, and actions of players on each team. It is very difficult to always avoid violating these rules without giving up too much of an advantage. Thus, an elaborate system of penalties has been developed to "let the punishment fit the crime" and maintain a balance between following the rules and keeping a good flow of the game. Players are constantly looking for ways to find an advantage that stretches the limitations imposed by the rules. Also, the frequency and severity of penalties can make a large difference in the outcome of a game, so coaches are constantly looking for ways to minimize the number and severity of infractions committed by their players. The term "penalty" is used to refer both to an infraction and the penal consequence of that infraction. Some of the more common penalties are listed below. In most cases when a penalty occurs, the offending team will be assessed a penalty of 5, 10 or 15 yards, depending on the infraction. Also, in most cases, if the penalty is committed while the ball is in play, the down will be replayed from the new position (for example, if the offense commits a penalty on a first-down play, the next play will still be first down, but the offense may have to go 15 yards, or farther, to achieve another first down.) But if a defensive penalty results in the ball advancing beyond the offense's first-down objective, the next play will be the first down of a new series. Some penalties, however, require a loss of down for the offense; and some defensive penalties may result in an automatic first down regardless of the ball position. In most cases, the non-offending team is given the option of declining the penalty and letting the result of the play stand. (Penalties that occur before the snap, such as illegal procedure or delay of game, generally carry 5-yard penalties and cannot be declined.) For some infractions by the defense, the penalty is applied in addition to the yardage gained on the play. Most personal fouls, which involve danger to another player, carry 15-yard penalties; in rare cases, they result in specific players being ejected from the game. A penalty also results in an automatic stoppage of the clock. If a defensive penalty occurs after time has expired at the end of a half, the half will be continued for a single, untimed play from scrimmage. With three exceptions, no penalty may move the ball more than half the distance toward the penalized team's goal line. These exceptions are defensive pass interference, intentional grounding, and offensive holding but in this last case the exception pertains only if the infraction occurs within the offensive team's own end zone, in which case an automatic safety is assessed (intentional grounding from the end zone also carries an automatic safety). Note: The neutral zone is the space defined by lines drawn through the ends of the ball parallel to the yard lines when the ball is spotted and ready for play. No player may legally have any part of his body in the neutral zone when the ball is snapped, with the exception of the center. Specific penalties most often fall into larger categories; the penalties here are listed as such.
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