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CARRIES HIS PADS
Describes a player who's just as fast with pads on as with pads off.
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CATCH RADIUS
The area around a WR in which he can realistically catch the ball. A receiver who can make leaping catches, dives for balls and can react to passes thrown behind him has a much greater catch radius than a receiver who needs the ball on his hands or body.
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CAUGHT PEEKING
What a DB is said to be when he loses track of his assignment because he is watching QB or ball on a playfake.
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CENTER FIELDER
Safety who excels at defending passes over the middle, covering receivers on deep routes and picking off poorly-thrown passes.
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CHOP BLOCK
Similar to a cut block in which one offensive player blocks a defensive player below the knees and another blocks him above the waist. It is illegal to block low if a team mate is already engaged with the defensive player blocking high to prevent knee and ankle injuries.
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CHOPS FEET
When a receiver gives away that he's about to make a cut by changing his stride.
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CIRCUS ELEPHANT
Huge lineman with quick feet and good footwork.
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CLIMBS THE TREE
When a receiver expertly uses timing and leaping ability to jump for a pass.
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CLOSING BURST
Defender's ability to accelerate when he's within striking distance of a ball carrier.
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COACH UP
To turn a marginal prospect into a solid player by instilling sound technique and fostering a competitive attitude.
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COMBINE
NFL Scouting Combine held each February in Indianapolis, at which draft prospects are given medical and skill exams.
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COMBO BLOCK
A double-team block in which two blockers engage one defender. Often, one of the blockers peels off to attack another defender, as in a zone-stretch run.
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COME TO BALANCE
Chopping feet and breaking down from full speed often to make a tackle or block.
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CONTACT BALANCE
Player's ability to maintain his balance even after being engaged by an opponent.
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CONTAIN
A defensive assignment. On outside runs such as the sweep, one defensive player (usually a cornerback or outside linebacker) is assigned to keep the rusher from getting to the edge of the play and turning upfield. If executed properly, the rusher will have to turn upfield before the design of the play calls for it, giving the linebackers a better chance of stopping the play for little or no gain.
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COUNTER
A running play in which the running back will take a step in the apparent direction of the play (i.e., the direction the line is moving), only to get the handoff in the other direction. Weak side linemen will sometimes pull and lead the back downfield (sometimes called a counter trap), but not necessarily. The play is designed to get the defense to flow away from the action for a few steps as they follow the linemen, allowing more room for the running back.
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COUNTER MOVE
A pass-rush move designed to defeat a blocker who has mastered the defender's preferred move. Typically, the primary move works outside the blocker, while the counter move starts outside but turns inside.
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COVER 2 DEFENDER
A defender well-suited to the zone defense-oriented systems favored by the Tony Dungy family of coaches. Cover 2 defenders include: Small, fast linebackers who excel in zone coverage, big cornerbacks who can jam receivers and defend the run, and safeties who can cover a lot of ground when defending the deep part of the field.
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CROSSES FEET
A major mistake for offensive linemen. A blocker with his feet crossed has almost no leverage and can easily be pushed around by a defender.
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CUT BLOCK
A block thrown below the knees of a defensive player; a legal block often confused with the illegal chop block, which is a cut block thrown when a defender is already engaged by another lineman. Famously used by the Broncos' Super Bowl teams under offensive line coach Alex Gibbs.
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CUT BLOCKING
A blocking technique in which offensive linemen, and sometimes other blockers, block legally below the waist (i.e., from the front of the defensive player) in an attempt to bring the defenders to ground, making them unable to pursue a running back for the short time needed for the back to find a gap in the defense. The technique is somewhat controversial, as it carries a risk of serious leg injuries to the blocked defenders. The San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and early 90's were noted for their cut-blocking (and leg-whipping, which is illegal), a tactic that was later adopted in mid-90's by the NFL's Denver Broncos.
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CUTS THROUGH TRAFFIC
Moves well around pileups of players to make plays.
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