WRs

[pbmax]

Question: Does anyone remember the designations for Brooks and Freeman?

I remember during Free's breakout year (or the next) Sherman Lewis saying they were looking at pulling out the old San Francisco plays for John Taylor since Free to take advantage of his skill. I thought Lewis referred to them as plays for the Z, but ...

... wasn't Brooks was the flanker (TE side, lines up behind the LOS) and Free at SE (covering the open tackle - ie. no TE)? Free had to escape more jams at the LOS and Brooks had more room to maneuver.

That would have made Brooks the flanker Z like Jennings and Free and Nelson would be the X. Correct?

[denverYooper]

Dont you mean that Nelson is the "X"?

Nelson is the Terminator X.

[KYPack]

Dont you mean that Nelson is the "X"?

Yeah, Nelson is an X or split end.

Y is the TE

Z is the flanker.

U is a fourth receiver, in some systems the second TE is always the U.

Slot guys like Cobb are referred to as A & B in 4 and 5 set play calls in some systems.

The X, Y, and Z terminolgy has been around forever and is pretty universal.

[sharpe1027]

Wikipedia is great:

While the general fan base and most commentators use the generic term wide receiver for all such players, specific names exist for most receiver positions:

Split end (X or SE): A receiver on the line of scrimmage, necessary to meet the rule requiring seven such players at snap. Where applicable, this receiver is on the opposite side of the tight end. The split end is farthest from center on his side of the field.

Flanker (Z or FL): A receiver lining up behind the line of scrimmage. Frequently the team's featured receiver, the flanker uses the initial buffer between himself and a defender to avoid jamming, legal contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The flanker is generally on the same side of the formation as a tight end. As with the split end, this receiver is the farthest player from the center on his side of the field. The flanker is probably lined up just like a split end except that he is just behind the line of scrimmage, being in the backfield and not on the line.

Slot receiver (Y or SL): A less-formal name given to receivers in addition to split ends and flankers (for example tight-ends who line up wide). These receivers line up between the split end/flanker and the linemen. If aligned with a flanker, the slot receiver is usually on the line of scrimmage, and if with a split end, off the line of scrimmage. As with the flanker position, a featured receiver often takes a slot position with a split end to avoid jamming.

Slot back: A receiver lining up in the offensive back field. Canadian and arena football allow them to take a running start at the line. They are usually larger players as they need to make catches over the middle. In American football slot backs are typically used in flexbone or other triple option offenses while Canadian football uses them in almost all formations.

[Guiness]

More reasons to love Driver's attitude.

WR Donald Driver, who had one catch for five yards on Sunday, said he’s only concerned about winning games. “When you start worrying about how many balls you're getting, that's when you start losing games,” he said in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story Wednesday. “Then you put the pressure on Aaron (Rodgers) trying to make sure everyone stays happy.”

Didn't mention himself at all, forget naming himself in the third person! His concern is the pressure that would put on Rodgers. Wow.

[MJZiggy]

More reasons to love Driver's attitude.



Didn't mention himself at all, forget naming himself in the third person! His concern is the pressure that would put on Rodgers. Wow.

With the way Rodgers is playing, who in their right mind would want to mess with that?

[Fritz]

I recall fondly the old designations - the flanker, the split end, the half-back

[SkinBasket]

The Bronco's are shopping LLoyd. Looking for a 4th or 5th. Maybe we could give them Jones and a 5th. Upgrade!

[Upnorth]

More reasons to love Driver's attitude.



Didn't mention himself at all, forget naming himself in the third person! His concern is the pressure that would put on Rodgers. Wow.

Whether Driver produces or not to me is somewhat irrelavant, he does two great things for this team,

1) Helps slant and in routes open up by drawing MLB to him in coverage which helps out everyone elses numbers. They let him go unchecked and Rodgers will give them death by 1000 pinpricks.
2) Shows other receivers how not to be idiots. It will be tough to reach his level but his steady presence is worth a great deal to the WR corp.

[Smidgeon]

Whether Driver produces or not to me is somewhat irrelavant, he does two great things for this team,

1) Helps slant and in routes open up by drawing MLB to him in coverage which helps out everyone elses numbers. They let him go unchecked and Rodgers will give them death by 1000 pinpricks.
2) Shows other receivers how not to be idiots. It will be tough to reach his level but his steady presence is worth a great deal to the WR corp.

More #2 than #1. Cobb can do the first one probably better than Driver at this point...

[KYPack]

Not yet, Smidge, not yet.

Cobb is only in his 3rd year of playing WR. He was a QB in HS and half his freshman year in college. He's still learning that job. DD can run a slant or dig better than Cobb in his sleep. But the pro that Donald is, by the end of the year, Cobb will be one of the better slot R's in the NFL.

[Patler]

DD can run a slant or dig better than Cobb in his sleep.

Heck, I can run a slant or dig better than Cobb in his sleep.

[vince]

Cobb's still learning, but he's also already the most effective receiver in the league on a per target basis according to Football Outsiders statistics. He leads the league (by a pretty wide margin) in their DVOA stat, which equates to production per target adjusted for the quality of defense he's playing against.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr

[KYPack]

Heck, I can run a slant or dig better than Cobb in his sleep.

That is debatable, old hoss.

My guess is a snoring Cobb would still run it better than yourself.

But wadda I know?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Cobb's still learning, but he's also already the most effective receiver in the league on a per target basis according to Football Outsiders statistics. He leads the league (by a pretty wide margin) in their DVOA stat, which equates to production per target adjusted for the quality of defense he's playing against.
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr

Small sample size in which a 60+ yard gain skewed the stats.