Lesson plan
Double coverage
In gridiron football, double coverage is a state of defensive playcalling where two defensive players are assigned to "cover" one offensive player. This situation is often seen with standout wide receivers and running backs. It is extremely rare to have two defensive backs man-cover a single receiver. Commentators who use the term "double-coverage" almost always mean a cornerback covering a wide receiver man-to-man, with a safety playing "over the top" (typically trying to stay in front of the wide receiver's route) for deep ball assistance. Although double coverage typically involves man-to-man coverage, it can occur in zone coverage as well. Because zone coverage schemes often use six or seven defensive backs to cover the offense's five eligible receivers, one or two of these men can drop underneath a wide receiver's route while a safety or cornerback stays over the top. This can occur in such coverages as Cover 2, Cover 3, and Cover 4.
Article summary
In gridiron football, double coverage is a state of defensive playcalling where two defensive players are assigned to "cover" one offensive player. This situation is often seen with standout wide receivers and running backs. It is extremely rare to have two defensive backs man-cover a single receiver. Commentators who use the term "double-coverage" almost always mean a cornerback covering a wide receiver man-to-man, with a safety playing "over the top" (typically trying to stay in front of the wide receiver's route) for deep ball assistance. Although double coverage typically involves man-to-man coverage, it can occur in zone coverage as well. Because zone coverage schemes often use six or seven defensive backs to cover the offense's five eligible receivers, one or two of these men can drop underneath a wide receiver's route while a safety or cornerback stays over the top. This can occur in such coverages as Cover 2, Cover 3, and Cover 4.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.