Most DIFFICULT position in NFL?

[Dutch 874]

Yea, also, more defenses today give CBs less responsibilities. How many teams actually implement a system on defense where the CB is on an island often?

 

Ngata named a few.

 

 

How many teams nowadays run some form of cover 2?

 

 

 

How many teams now play a lot of soft coverage? Or implement some scheme that involves getting to the QB with less guys to have more guys drop back?

 

There are some teams that do zone and some teams that do man. Only teams that can get to the QB with less guys are teams that usually have a dominate front 4 that can get to the QB and if I'm not wrong, most teams with that set up do man more then zone. I could be wrong though.

 

The CB can be the most difficult position, because the rules favor offenses more then ever, especially passing wise. But they also get more help then before.

 

This seems kinda contradictory. The league rules favors the offense (which spites defenses) passing wise but CBs also get more help then before?

 

The rules may favor the QB more now, but it doesn't make it any less difficult to play the quarterback position in the NFL.

 

Tell that to Danny Marino having CBs jumping on WRs backs all over the field compared to CBs not being able to touch WRs beyond 5-10 yards without getting a flag.

[Dutch 874]

 

I can tell you right off the bat that PHI doesn't leave their DBs out to dry because they play the wide 9 and draft speed rushers to allow more guys to cover.

 

 

 

What? lol... You're wrong about that. That's our philosophy. Our front 4 in the wide 9 is good enough to apply great pressure and our corners play man - man locking down receivers in the back. You COULDN'T have watched our games saying that.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

 

There are some teams that do zone and some teams that do man. Only teams that can get to the QB with less guys are teams that usually have a dominate front 4 that can get to the QB and if I'm not wrong, most teams with that set up do man more then zone. I could be wrong though.

 

A lot of teams are running more and more of some form of man, or at least press, which is why guys like Gilmore were highly hyped coming out of college even though they had bad tape.

 

But even when they play man on the outside, the corners know they have room to make mistakes and be more aggressive because more teams are also playing with safeties up top on outside receivers and LBs playing some kind of underneath game. Obviously I still think they have a tough job because I said they are second in my book. But it isn't on par with QBs.

 

This seems kinda contradictory. The league rules favors the offense (which spites defenses) passing wise but CBs also get more help then before?

 

I'm not saying CBs get more help from the officials, or the rules, I'm saying they get more help from their teammates. Not very many scheme, or philosophies in the NFL where a CB has to handle a receiver on the outside without help over the top or underneath. Even when its man. So while their job is difficult, they usually always have some help. Which is why more teams rely on getting to the QB with their down linemen.

 

Tell that to Danny Marino having CBs jumping on WRs backs all over the field compared to CBs not being able to touch WRs beyond 5-10 yards without getting a flag.

 

Well, Dan Marino may of had to worry about DBs playing extra physical back then, and guys being able to hit him harder and farther after he's released the ball. And while yea, that's a handful.

 

QBs today have to worry about facing far more complex defensive schemes, defenses that are built to better defend the pass, athletes who are drafted to better defend the pass, bigger and better athletes in general. And that doesn't take into account their own offenses which are more complex now then ever before to learn.

 

Like I said, if anything the QB position is more difficult today then ever before.

Edited September 18, 2012 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

What? lol... You're wrong about that. That's our philosophy. Our front 4 in the wide 9 is good enough to apply great pressure and our corners play man - man locking down receivers in the back. You COULDN'T have watched our games saying that.

 

That's my point.

 

What do you think happens to those LBs on pass plays where they aren't defending a man? What about those safeties when they aren't defending a man?

 

They are playing some form of zone to help DBs, very few teams, if any, run some form of cover zero.

[Dutch 874]

 

QBs today have to worry about facing far more complex defensive schemes, defenses that are built to better defend the pass, athletes who are drafted to better defend the pass, bigger and better athletes in general. And that doesn't take into account their own offenses which are more complex now then ever before to learn.

 

Like I said, if anything the QB position is more difficult today then ever before.

 

I don't see how defenses are better built to defend the pass when the leagues new passing rules are working against them. Nothing new separates how defenders played the past before the rules BESIDES the rules coming into place. Mind if you could elaborate a little more on that subject?

 

As far as the bigger and better athletes, I'd say that statement would be TRUE for the WRs more so then the cornerbacks. These new breeds of WR like Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, A.J Green are basically evolutionary type WRs at that position. There isn't much change in the corner back position as far as "bigger and better" athletes. The seahawks corner backs are as close as you can get being bigger then the normal size of a CB. QBs NO DOUBT have it easier in todays PASS HAPPY with SO MANY rules to protect the QB AND the passing game. It's no coincidence that it's been a HUGE spike in passing numbers and records broken these last few years.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I don't see how defenses are better built to defend the pass when the leagues new passing rules are working against them. Nothing new separates how defenders played the past before the rules BESIDES the rules coming into place. Mind if you could elaborate a little more on that subject?

 

As far as the bigger and better athletes, I'd say that statement would be TRUE for the WRs more so then the cornerbacks. These new breeds of WR like Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, A.J Green are basically evolutionary type WRs at that position. There isn't much change in the corner back position as far as "bigger and better" athletes. The seahawks corner backs are as close as you can get being bigger then the normal size of a CB. QBs NO DOUBT have it easier in todays PASS HAPPY with SO MANY rules to protect the QB AND the passing game. It's no coincidence that it's been a HUGE spike in passing numbers and records broken these last few years.

 

This has nothing to do with how defenses are built to defend the pass, or whether defenses in general can defend the pass better then before. Obviously its easier for QBs to move the ball through the air with the easier rules.

 

This has to do with how CBs defend on any given passing play. It's about the CB's job on any given pass play.

 

THe statement is true for both wide receivers AND corners, how many corners do you think there were in Dan Marino's time that were built and as athletic as Patrick Peterson? The Cromarti brothers? Charles Woodson? The two DBs that play for Seattle?

 

And not just corners, how many athletes in general played defense back then were the size and athletic ability of some of the safeties and LBs in the NFL today?

 

You think QBs back in the day had to deal with those kinda athletes? Seams and holes to throw the ball to in today's NFL are tighter then ever before for QBs.

 

It's not like CBs are playing straight man to man with no help. So their job, while still difficult, could be much harder, and its comprised of defending one guy. The rules are stricter and tighter, but defensive schemes are also made today to allow a corner to not have to pull and tug on a receiver at all times. They balance out.

 

With a QB, he has to read the defense, make sure his guys are lined up correctly, and if they aren't, line them up correctly. Decide whether or not to change plays, make sure his offensive linemen + HB have there blocking assignments in, among other things. And that's just before the ball is snapped. The entire offense revolves around his decision making,and is forced to regardless of skillsets to be a leader of the team. As far as I'm concerned, there is no way that playing CB can be more difficult then all that.

Edited September 18, 2012 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[Dutch 874]

This has nothing to do with how defenses are built to defend the pass, or whether defenses in general can defend the pass better then before. Obviously its easier for QBs to move the ball through the air with the easier rules.

 

This has to do with how CBs defend on any given passing play. It's about the CB's job on any given pass play.

 

THe statement is true for both wide receivers AND corners, how many corners do you think there were in Dan Marino's time that were built and as athletic as Patrick Peterson? The Cromarti brothers? Charles Woodson? The two DBs that play for Seattle?

 

And not just corners, how many athletes in general played defense back then were the size and athletic ability of some of the safeties and LBs in the NFL today?

 

You think QBs back in the day had to deal with those kinda athletes? Seams and holes to throw the ball to in today's NFL are tighter then ever before for QBs.

 

It's not like CBs are playing straight man to man with no help. So their job, while still difficult, could be much harder, and its comprised of defending one guy. The rules are stricter and tighter, but defensive schemes are also made today to allow a corner to not have to pull and tug on a receiver at all times. They balance out.

 

With a QB, he has to read the defense, make sure his guys are lined up correctly, and if they aren't, line them up correctly. Decide whether or not to change plays, make sure his offensive linemen + HB have there blocking assignments in, among other things. And that's just before the ball is snapped. The entire offense revolves around his decision making,and is forced to regardless of skillsets to be a leader of the team. As far as I'm concerned, there is no way that playing CB can be more difficult then all that.

 

 

You brought up a great point about the corners in today's game. I've said before in today's league there are way better athletes then back in the day but I think the WR position still evolved a lil more then the corner position. Either way though, that still doesn't change the fact that the new passing rules CATERED to today's QBs to make their job easier... There is no denying that... THe passing game evolved when the league rules changed to protect the passing game and QBs. If defenses are better built to defend the pass, why has their been a HUGE spike in total passing yardage across the league and numerous passing records broken? You know it was three 5,000 yard passers last year right?? The game is catered to protect QBs. You've watched football; you can't breathe on (certain) QBs wrong without getting a flag. Petyon to Harrison / Wayne, Brady to Welker / Moss, Kurt to Larry, Schaub to Johnson, Stafford to Megatron are duos that cornerbacks had to face during this pass protected league era... That's no easy task. There is a reason why passing yardage spiked up ten fold and we have so many dynamic passing teams in the NFL now; today's Nfl which I call the "Aerial Assault League."

[TreGooda 0]

I don't think there is a toughest position. It's a game of specialists.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

You brought up a great point about the corners in today's game. I've said before in today's league there are way better athletes then back in the day but I think the WR position still evolved a lil more then the corner position. Either way though, that still doesn't change the fact that the new passing rules CATERED to today's QBs to make their job easier... There is no denying that... THe passing game evolved when the league rules changed to protect the passing game and QBs. If defenses are better built to defend the pass, why has their been a HUGE spike in total passing yardage across the league and numerous passing records broken? You know it was three 5,000 yard passers last year right?? The game is catered to protect QBs. You've watched football; you can't breathe on (certain) QBs wrong without getting a flag. Petyon to Harrison / Wayne, Brady to Welker / Moss, Kurt to Larry, Schaub to Johnson, Stafford to Megatron are duos that cornerbacks had to face during this pass protected league era... That's no easy task. There is a reason why passing yardage spiked up ten fold and we have so many dynamic passing teams in the NFL now; today's Nfl which I call the "Aerial Assault League."

 

Even with the rule changes, the QB is still the toughest position to play. The quarterback, now more then ever can single handily impact a game more then any player.