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Do you really understand the Xs and Os of football?


Bronx

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1 minute ago, Bronx said:

I think that the average Joe, who has never played football, could be very confused with all the Xs and Os of football. I have to admit that when most a analysts start talking about "Flutties" and such formations, is like French to me. Another topic would be understanding the multitasking responsibilities of each position. 

I found this helpful link for Xs and Os and responsibilities per position. 

 

https://protips.dickssportinggoods.com/sports-and-activities/football/football-101-football-positions-and-their-roles

 

I understand quite a bit, but certainly not an expert. Difficulty is similar concepts are described using different terms. 

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I played in HS and college in the 80s, and I don't understand half of what they say regarding offenses until I look it up. The language, the strategy, it's all changed so much. And we ran a 'modern' offense for the time in HS, lots of what we called sprint-outs and waggles, wasn't just guards pulling, etc.

Defense is more similar, obviously a lot more DBs in the game nowadays and teams running blended base Ds but we had those packages we just never really used them. They're running Ds all game that we only used to protect a sizeable lead.

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11 minutes ago, Gibby said:

I actually do. I’ve coached it a number of years- not at the pro level obviously. I love it I study it. Just wish I could go way back in my life so I could’ve done for a living. I’m too old now, I’ve been in the Construction Management business for 25 years and absolutely hate it! ?

I coached 1st and 2nd graders flag football. Bear and eagle were running and passing plays respectively. We won the first game and I plagiarized Adam Gase's playbook for the rest of the season.

 

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I played in HS so I have a pretty good "fundamental" understanding of basic concepts but that's pretty far removed from the coverages, pattern matching, etc. that make up the modern passing game (we ran a Wing T offense and a 5-2 defense, which should put that sort of thing in perspective.)

That sort of stuff is pretty difficult to pick up on unless you're actively coaching/playing on a regular basis or studying the game as though you are which is far beyond pretty much all fans.

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Great threat idea! I have brought this subject up a few times before. I will say this, there's definitely a lot to know. Including the constant rule changes.

Man, Zone, cover 0, 3-4, 4-3. What's the difference between a free safety and a strong safety? I have young kids and there's a lot to explain. I'm a fan of the coaching and the draft. It's a beautiful game and unless you drew it up it's almost impossible to know everybody's assignment! However we're all on here at different ages and for different reasons and different levels of fandom.

Robby Sabo over at Jets XFactor has a lot of insight you can really learn a lot about the individual plays. Pulling guards, QB spies, formations Etc.

I will say this as well, anytime is a poster on here saying we need to draft four wide receivers and why did our GM pick a punter? They don't know football!

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Football isn't rocket science.  Neither is Baseball, or Basketball, or Hockey for that matter.

We who played in HS and/or college and/or coached may not know every current system-specific term, but I think it's safe to say most of us understand the game, and the concepts underpinning them.

Years of playing, years of watching, years of obsession (and we're all obsessed, or we wouldn't be wasting time of a fan forum ffs, lol), we're not Pros, we're very well informed Amateurs.

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4 minutes ago, Greenbloodblitz said:

Great threat idea! I have brought this subject up a few times before. I will say this, there's definitely a lot to know. Including the constant rule changes.

Man, Zone, cover 0, 3-4, 4-3. What's the difference between a free safety and a strong safety? I have young kids and there's a lot to explain. I'm a fan of the coaching and the draft. It's a beautiful game and unless you drew it up it's almost impossible to know everybody's assignment! However we're all on here at different ages and for different reasons and different levels of fandom.

Robby Sabo over at Jets XFactor has a lot of insight you can really learn a lot about the individual plays. Pulling guards, QB spies, formations Etc.

Thank you. I believe that you will appreciate the game more as it becomes clearer.

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Growing up with the game is important but the harsh reality for most fans is that we've been watching sport longer than these incoming rookies have been alive 

 

So when every Jets season ticket holder has an internal clock of 2.5 seconds and Sam Darnold does not, it's understandable 

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1 minute ago, Bronx said:

Thank you. I believe that you will appreciate the game more as it becomes clearer.

I used to coach the 7th graders and I've been a fan for about 30 years. What's more impressive to me is how the organizations are run and why.

For example why did we draft James Morgan? Well number one because the Patriots wanted him and we cock blocked them LOL. Number two we're grooming him to be a backup that's why we took him in the later rounds. Most importantly and some fans on here may say no s***! But a lot of younger people don't know that you have all your practice squad players and third stringers running the scout team which is to mimic and emulate the team you'll be playing the following weekend.

So in essence a lot of the guys that we keep on the practice squad or as backups, are just there not as our starters but they're Expendable and they play as the other team and run their plays and formations.

Some weeks Morgan will pretend to be Brady, the next week he'll be Tannehill, the next week Mahomes and so on. You'd be surprised that not everybody knows that. Some guys may not be starters but that doesn't mean they're not all World athletes or they're not smart or worthy of being paid to play on a pro football team.

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I played in amateur and college teams in the UK, so I have a (very) basic understanding of the fundamentals - although I'm sure an NFL playbook is like a different language from the stuff I learned.

I played CB mainly, so most of my knowledge relates to different types of coverage and pass routes. I am largely clueless about line play.

I can generally spot a good CB or WR in the draft, and I have a fairly good hit rate in projecting hits and misses at those positions. I am far less strong at projecting other positions, because I just don't know enough about what makes for good technique at other spots.

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I played up through college (DIII), and coached at the youth, HS, and prep school levels. I know line schemes, both sides of the ball, especially OL. And I know some schemes, especially on offense. Did some play calling, mostly defensive, at the HS level.

But what I know is a small fraction of what coaches on the college and pro levels know. I'd be overwhelmed by the terminology and complexities of the schemes.

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