What does weak side mean in football

Typically, they will have to run at full speed to defeat blocks and tackle the running player on run plays. On pass plays, they are forced to drop back into zone coverage or play man coverage.

Due to the innovation of the spread offense, defenses are often forced to have their linebackers be phenomenal athletes to cover the run and pass effectively. Especially in professional leagues, the linebackers are often some of the best athletes on the field in size and athleticism. The names are important because it allows the defensive coordinator to be flexible in their play calls.

So if a team runs the ball to the strong side, coaches can game-plan to bring blitzes on certain downs by using easy calls. The first linebacker on our list is the popular Mike linebacker. As mentioned, Tom Landry, in most recent memory, has used names to identify his players. This became a popular team as it was easy to relay and identify throughout complicated defensive systems.

He needs to be quick on his when faced with jam ups and traffic on the field. The weak side linebacker can't shy away from making a tackle. He should be a player that can read the field in an instant, see openings and step into place to help out the other defensive members.

He should be familiar with a one-on-one scenario, as they might happen if the offense sees an open lane on the weak side of the field. The middle linebacker is self explanatory. There is no right linebacker or left linebacker. To help with this, and to make things more confusing for people learning the basics of the game, the linebacker position are referred to by other names.

The name begins with the same first letter as the actual position. Blogging Dirty 2 hours Atlanta Falcons cut noteworthy cornerback following struggles in Miami.

More NFL Rumors ». The basic definition is that the strong side of the formation is the side with the TE. The side with the TE is the strong side, no matter what. Strong Side Linebacker — The strong side linebacker plays on the side of the field where the tight end lines up. He must be fast as he often ends up in pass coverage.

The weak side linebacker, or WILL, is the primary playmaker of the defense and got his name because he is typically positioned in the middle of the defense more or less.