I've always wondered but never thought too much about it until I started visiting NFL forums.. is there a difference between DB and CB? does DB cover the corners and safties or is it like saying PF and 'the 4 spot' in basketball? I've always found it weird how football has several names for some positions and other sports really don't.
DB (defensive back) generally refers to both Safeties and Cornerbacks. CB refers to Cornerbacks specifically.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Vintage @ Jul 9 2008, 01:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>DB (defensive back) generally refers to both Safeties and Cornerbacks. CB refers to Cornerbacks specifically.</div> that's what I kinda thought as I was posting it, but thought I'd ask anywho.. just to prove I'm a dummy
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Vintage @ Jul 9 2008, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Its all good. We all started from scratch at some point.</div> yeah but I've been watching for 20+years it was just one of those things I never paid attention too... those TV guys blab waaay to much about nothing just to fill the air.
Defensive Back will be any player that plays behind or outside the level of the linebackers....the term DB though sometimes refers to Dimeback as well....when you change personel to add a 5th defensive back, generally an extra CB to cover a 3rd WR, that play is often referred to as a nickleback, nickle because hes the 5th guy, the dimeback is the 6th defensive back on a defense....so standard defensive formations feature 7 players upfront(DL and LBs) and 4 players in the socondary, the nickel is a 6 man front with 5 man secondary, and the dime is a 5 man front and a 6 man secondary....any more than 6 defensive backs would be considered a "prevent" defense and is only played when an offense is desperately trying to score quickly....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Celtic Fan @ Jul 9 2008, 01:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I've always wondered but never thought too much about it until I started visiting NFL forums.. is there a difference between DB and CB? does DB cover the corners and safties or is it like saying PF and 'the 4 spot' in basketball? I've always found it weird how football has several names for some positions and other sports really don't.</div> This seems to have been pretty well answered already, but to use a basketball analogy (since you put one in the question), its like calling the point guard and the shooting guard both guards. They are both guards, but they both do different things.
cheers all and thanks for the feedback. I know where to go if I have any more football related questions but questions like "why can' t the Eagles and the Giants beat the Cowboys" have an obvious answer so I doubt I'll have many more questions for a while
