NFL Betting Defensive Secondary info
The Positions in a Football Secondary are the group of players on an American football team who make up the defensive backfield. All the players who make up the secondary are called defensive backs, but that category is further divided. These players are responsible for preventing the opponent’s receivers from catching the ball. If they fail, they must then make the tackle, preventing a possible touchdown. The different football players work in slightly different ways.
Cornerback
The cornerback is typically the fastest of the defensive backs. The ideal NFL cornerback can run the 40 yard dash in 4.4 seconds, weighs between 180 and 190 pounds, and is at least 6 feet tall. However, the average NFL cornerback is about 5’10”. Although speed and agility remain the necessary commodities, height is becoming a factor in order to defend the ever-increasing height of today’s wide receivers.
Most teams attempt to place their best cornerbacks against the opposition’s best receivers. Some offensive formations place a team’s two best receivers on the same side of the field, requiring the defense to place both of its cornerbacks accordingly.
Cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage
Most defensive schemes employ two cornerbacks (CB) in man-to-man coverage against the offense’s wide receivers (WR). The cornerbacks align on the far left and right sides of the line of scrimmage, at least 10 to 12 yards from their nearest teammate (usually a linebacker or defensive end) and opposite the offense’s wide receivers. The distance varies depending on where the offensive receivers align themselves. Cornerbacks must align in front of them.
Cornerbacks in zone coverage
If a team’s cornerbacks are smaller and slower than its opponent’s receivers, that team usually plays more zone coverages, fearing that fast receivers will expose its secondary’s athletic weaknesses. However, if you have two talented cornerbacks, your team can play more man-to-man coverage.
Safeties
Strong safety
Strong safety is generally bigger, stronger, and slower. Coaches often refer to (and judge) their safeties as small linebackers. These players should Be above-average tacklers and have the ability to backpedal and quickly retreat in order to cover a specified area to defend the pass, which is called dropping into pass coverage.
The strong safety normally aligns to the tight end side of the offensive formation (also known as the strong side, hence the name strong safety), and 99 percent of the time, his pass coverage responsibility is either the tight end or a running back who leaves the backfield.
Free safety
Generally more athletic and less physical than the strong safety. He usually positions himself 12 to 15 yards deep and off the line of scrimmage.
The free safety needs the speed to prevent a long touchdown pass. The speed and quickness to get a jump on any long pass that’s thrown in the gaps on the field. The capacity to make instant and astute judgments. Some people say that an excellent free safety can read the quarterback’s eyes, meaning he knows where the quarterback is looking to throw the football. Able to cover a wide receiver in man-to-man coverage.
