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A diagram showing an I formation on offense and a 4-3 formation on defense In American football , the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players [ 1 ] on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitutions", meaning that ...
The middle or inside linebacker (MLB or ILB), sometimes called the "Mike" or "Mac", [15] is often referred to as the "quarterback of the defense". [16] Often it is the middle linebacker who receives the defensive play calls from the sideline and relays that play to the rest of the team, and in the NFL he is usually the defensive player with the electronic sideline communicator.
Notice the strong safety in the box and the two outside linebackers shifted to the same side outside of the defensive end. This formation was invented by Buddy Ryan, defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears during the 1980s. Instead of having four linemen and six linebackers (as the name may suggest), it is actually a 4–4 set using 4–3 ...
The 4-3 defense has 3 linebackers, who are categorized as strong, middle, and weak (SLB, MLB, WLB; also called Sam, Mike, and Will). This is not an indication of strength; it instead refers to the positioning of the linebackers relative to the offense. Strong linebackers line up on the same side as the tight end and weak side away from the ...
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Defensive ends ("DE") in a 4–3 defense Outside linebackers ("OLB") in a 3–4 defense. Edge rusher, also called an edge defender or simply edge, is a position in gridiron football. The position is used as an alternate term for a pass rushing defensive end or outside linebacker on the defensive line and is sometimes considered its own position ...
Instead of the position name following the player to a different position, a new position name may be applied in such a substitution situation. This occurs when a team that usually uses four defensive backs (counting cornerbacks and safeties) adds a fifth, thus producing the "nickel" defense (a nickel being a 5 cent piece).