Unfamiliar with certain terminology

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No Ordinary Joe
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OK, this thread is going to make me sound like a complete idiot but I figured this was the best place to ask without feeling dumb (well, not completely anyway, lol) for posting it. I've been watching football for a looong time, but there's still some terminology that I'm unfamiliar with and would like to get a bit of clarification to help me understand better.

I could never quite understand the difference between nickel and dime, and also have never understood the term "weak side." For instance, somebody mentioned yesterday that with the injuries suffered in the last couple of weeks that our entire weak side is out.

Terms like "cover corner" have confused me too. Isn't the entire point of being a corner in the first place to cover?

Some of these terms have more to do with NFL but I'd still like a bit of clarification of those as well, Strong Safety and Free Safety, could never figure out the difference between them. Also, in the CFL you've got Halfbacks and Nickelbacks.

Stuff like the "Cover 2" and various things like that.

Sorry to sound like a total n00b but I would really like to understand some of these things better in order to feel like I have a better understanding of the game. I want to be able to see what defences are doing before the snap and read plays better so I can discuss them with everybody here. Thanks for the help!
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CatsEyes
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I can explain the nickel and dime, as I have recently become an owner in a simulated football league, and have had to learn as well. A Nickel defence is when you have 5 guys back in the secondary, like for example, 2 Corners a safety and 2 DBs. Dime is 6 guys, and Quarter is 7. That's my 2 cents worth, if that helps! :wink:
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Good post. Over to you Blitz.
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Soundy
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Okay, I've been wondering about this for a long time... since someone else has started a thread where I'm not the only dumbass n00b, I'll ask it here: in the play-by-play (at least the radio PBP, since I think that's the only place I've ever heard it), what do they mean by "play action"?
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No Ordinary Joe
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Soundy wrote:Okay, I've been wondering about this for a long time... since someone else has started a thread where I'm not the only dumbass n00b, I'll ask it here: in the play-by-play (at least the radio PBP, since I think that's the only place I've ever heard it), what do they mean by "play action"?
Play action is where you fake the handoff to the RB and then drop back to pass again. It's usually effective when you've been running the ball with some success since teams hope that the defence will bite with the fake and go towards the RB while a receiver will get open downfield for the QB to hit instead.
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Cool, thanks.

Okay, here's another one... "Defence shows blitz"... pretty self-explanatory what it means, but exactly what formation/procedure/movement does it describe?
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A defence shows blitz on practically every down. What often happens is you see a defensive back or linebacker rushing up to the line of scrimmage making it look like he's going to rush but drop back into coverage at the last moment.
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WestCoastJoe
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Our fellow Lionbacker Blitz has gone into quite some detail on these topics and many others here on this website.

At the top of the page, click on Roar Room. Then on the Roar Room page scroll down to the Forum list.

Click on Stukes Chalk Talk.

In there you will see many of these topics explained by Blitz.

I found the ones on the Inside Zone Run and the Stretch Play most informative.
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I could never quite understand the difference between nickel and dime, and also have never understood the term "weak side." For instance, somebody mentioned yesterday that with the injuries suffered in the last couple of weeks that our entire weak side is out.
I'd suggest you read some of the threads that focus on defense here on the Stukus Chalk Talk. Start with Pass Defense, Disguising Defenses, etc. The thread on the Safety position would also be helpful!

With regard to your specific questions...the nickel defense is an NFL terminology. In the NFL you have two cornerbacks, a strong safety, and a free safety. The strong safety is usally the safety who plays on the tight end side of the formation (strong side of the formation) and is used to stop the run more than the free safety. They will sometimes bring the strong safety into the box and move the free safety into the middle of the field to take away the deep pass. In NFL football the two safeties often each cover 1/2 of the deep zone of the field.

The nickel back in the NFL is an extra fifth defensive back brought into the game, replacing a linebacker or lineman in passing situations.

In the CFL we have 12 man football so we already have someone in the midldle of our defense, a free safety, who plays regularly in the position that would be a nickelback in the NFL. The NFL strong safety and free safety are called our defensive halfbacks. So our nickelback in the CFL is really our sixth defensive back who comes into the game, replacing a linebacker or a lineman. Our dimeback is our seventh back.

Weakside and strongside are the terms used to describe an offensive formation. If more players line up on one side of the formation (left or right of the center position)l than the other it's the stongside. If it is equal, then the strongside is the side where there is more field to cover (ball is on the left hashmark, offence is balanced in their formation..the stongside is to the right (wideside) of the formation and the left side is the shortside of the formation. Defenses will have specific players who cover the shortside or wideside of the field.

For example... Dante Marsh and Korey Banks always cover the shortside of the field..because its tougher to cover on the shortside...it's a shorter throw for the quarterback, therefore easier to complete.... so you want your best cover guys on the shortside. A cover corner is the corner who covers the short side of the field. He's your best corner, in terms of covering...but you could move your cover corner around in man defense to cover the opposition's best wide receiver.
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No Ordinary Joe
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Thanks a lot Blitz, that really helps me!
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