Jantana's Blog

Study the responsibilities specific to free safety. The free safety plays more pass coverage than the strong safety. The free safety in American football is often the last line of defense in the passing game. The position has one important rule first and foremost. Never let an offensive player get behind the free safety.

Learn the correct body position and placement. The safety should have a slight knee and waist bend, feet apart with the right or left foot forward and the weight of the body should be on the front foot.

Enhance the skill of seeing the entire the field. This begins with exercises that help widen the peripheral vision. Depending on the defense that is utilized, the free safety will need to see both sides of the field and react accordingly.

Communicate well with other members of the defensive secondary. There are three other members of the defensive secondary in American football and the four must work together as a single unit to be successful.

Review and study the playbook for other positions as well as the free safety position. It is extremely helpful and often necessary to know what the other member's of the secondary will be responsible for on any given play.

Study the responsibilities specific to strong safety. The strong safety plays closer to the line of scrimmage. The strong safety in American football is responsible for the middle in pass coverage. Often the strong safety will be required to rush the quarterback and play more in run support.

Learn the correct body position and placement. The safety in American football should bend the knee and waist slightly and keep the feet apart. The right or left foot should be forward with the weight of the body on the front foot.

Communicate well with the other members of the defensive secondary. There are three other members of the defensive secondary in American football and the four must work together as a single unit to be successful.

Review and study the playbook for positions other than strong safety. It is extremely helpful and often necessary to know what the other members of the secondary will be responsible for on any given play.

Understand the versatility that is required from the strong safety position. The strong safety can in one play be required to tackle the running back close to the line and on the next cover against a deep pass. A strong safety in American football that cannot do both will struggle to master the position.

Possess the physical attributes to play running back. Running backs generally are fast, have great hand eye coordination, extreme physical and mental toughness and have great blocking ability. These require a unique set of physical attributes. There are exceptions but generally the best athletes play running back in American football.

Start with great balance before the play begins. A running back is like a sprinter waiting for the starting gun. The problem is there are 11 players on the other side of the ball doggedly determined to stop the running back. If the player does not start from a balanced position the play is doomed.

Be a good blocker. Most people think the position is all about running and catching. Blocking is the most overlooked talent a running back can possess. The running back in American football is the last line of defense for the quarterback. The running back who cannot block well will endanger the quarterback's physical well-being.

Catch the ball out of the backfield. Often the running back is referred to as the "safety valve". When the quarterback is in trouble it is the running back that provides the last passing option on some plays. This makes hand-eye coordination imperative. The running back, in some offensive plays, needs the catching ability of a wide receiver.

Understand and read the blocking scheme. A running back has to comprehend what the linemen are doing on a given play and how to react to their actions. Often adjustments will have to be made on the fly because of the defense. These adjustments will not be possible if the running back in American football does not understand the full blocking scheme that is being utilized.

Finish the play. American football as the saying goes is a "game of inches". This requires a running back to get every single inch out of every play. The great running backs always try to finish the play moving or falling forward. That can be the difference between winning and losing.

Go to Las Vegas. Sorry but gambling is illegal just about everywhere else in the U.S.

Understand the Spread! Each game has a Betting Line. One team will be the Favorite and another will be the Underdogs. The Favorite will be giving up a certain amount of points such as Team A – 7 ½ points. The Underdog will be receiving those points such as Team B + 7 ½ points. If you were to bet on Team A then they must win by at least 8 points. This is called covering the spread. If you bet on Team B then they must win or not loose by more than 7 points.

Understand the Money Line! Each team will be either Plus or Minus. The team that is the Favorite will be Minus a certain number such as -110. This simply means that to win 100$ you have to bet 110$. The advantage to the Money Line is that no Spread is involved (hence, Team A must simply win and not cover). If you pick the Underdog to win with the Money Line they will be Plus a certain number such as +150. This means if you bet 100$ and win, you will get $150.

Pay Attention to Details! Look at the Injury Reports for each team. Don’t ever take a team with injured star impact players such as Quarterback or Running Back. Check who the Home Team is (it is usually in bold or capitalized).

Know the Action! The Spread changes constantly during the week to compensate for how the majority of the gambling is betting (aka the Action). If too many people are taking Team A who is favored by 3 points (+3) then the Handicappers will make Team A to be favored by more points. If you are patient you can wait until an Underdog team gains more points. But always keep in mind if the majority of the Action goes towards the Favorites and the Spread doesn’t change than the Handicappers want you to take the Favorite because they think they will not cover. Generally, if the Spread goes up by a point or two, stick with betting on the Favorite because Handicappers are attempting to scare you away from that bet.

Go Safe! Don’t spread your money around betting on every game. The rule of thumb is, if you really believe Team A will win, bet big on them and no one else.

Tease it Up! One of the best types of bets is a Teaser Bet. These come in varieties from 2 Team 6 Point Bets to 4 Team 10 Point Bets. In a Teaser Bet the Spread is adjusted in your favor. A 3 Team 7 Point Teaser consists of picking three teams to win (with or without the Spread) and you receive an additional 7 Points on each Spread. So if Team A was Favored by 10 (Team A -10) the new Spread would be Team A Favored by 3 (Team A -3). The Spread for each of the three teams is adjusted in your favor. The only problem is you have to win every game.

Set up the football for a kickoff. Position the football on the tee almost perpendicular to the ground, but angled slightly toward you.

Set up a field goal attempt, if you are looking to score. Have the holder kneel on the opposite side of the ball from where you'll be running, and place the football with the laces forward (away from you) and the ball almost perpendicular to the ground, but angled slightly toward you, the kicker. The holder should place either his palm or the tips of his index and middle fingers on top of the ball, gently applying pressure to hold it in place.

Take three steps back. If you kick with your left foot, take two and a half steps to the right. If you kick with your right foot, take two and a half steps to the left.

Run toward the ball, starting with the foot you won't be kicking with.

Plant your nonkicking leg firmly about 1 foot to the side of the ball, your foot pointing in the direction in which you want the ball to go (between the goal posts, for example, or straight down the field for a kickoff).

Power through the ball with your kicking foot, making contact about one-third of the way above the ball's lower tip. For maximum distance, kick with the top two inner shoelace holes of your shoe.

Follow through as much as your flexibility will allow.

Stand 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Catch the ball when the center snaps it to you.

Hold the ball out in front of you horizontally with the laces pointing up.

Take two steps forward, beginning with your kicking foot.

Drop the ball toward your kicking foot and kick the ball hard with the top of your foot.

Follow through with your kicking leg as high as your flexibility will allow. Some punters practically kiss their knee.

Line up the players—in this case, the field goal unit—along the line of scrimmage. Have the ball holder kneel 7 yards behind the center, who snaps the football to him.

Indicate to the ball holder when you are ready to have the ball snapped to him. The ball holder sets the football upright and holds it in place with one finger on top of the football. Make sure the laces point away from you.

Take a few steps backward and two steps to the opposite side of your kicking leg, for instance, two steps to the right if you are kicking with your left leg. Push off with your non-kicking foot, or plant foot, as you start to move toward the ball.

Eye the center of the goalposts one final time, gauging just where you want to place the ball to make the field goal, then stride toward the ball with your head down, eyes on the ball.

Plant your non-kicking foot with the ankle just in front of the football and the foot about 12 inches away from the ball.

Swing your kicking leg forward. Make contact with the ball.

Follow through on the kick until your kicking leg is extended out and up to about your waist level. Then pray to the football gods, take a step back and watch the ball sail through the uprights as you make the field goal.