# NFL 2024-25: Week 5
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** football-nfl
**Created:** [October 1, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343 "2024-10-01T17:27:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/41 "2024-10-08T14:29:15Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> with only their defense keeping them in the green there
You’re burying the lede here.
This is a Chiefs team which is going places _because_ of its (uncharacteristically) good defense. Some of the magic has worn off the key pieces in the offense (not to mention a lot of injured skill positions), but the D is making the difference.
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### Author:  [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2024, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/42 "2024-10-08T14:35:35Z")
[Week 6 thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-6/1008556/1)
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/43 "2024-10-08T22:21:36Z")
> [@DCnDC](#):
>
> Guess they’re really stuck with him now.
Until Watson’s next lawsuit. You know there’ll be one.
> [@ShadowFacts](#):
>
> Indeed, the Chiefs right now are so reminiscent of the Dynasty Patriots - even when they were not at their best or healthiest, they would somehow find a way to win more often than not. I hate to deal in intangibles like this, but the Chiefs and Mahomes just know how to step it up in key moments to win.
I have a tangible to give you then; the Patriots had Belichick and Brady, the Chiefs have Reid and Mahomes. In both cases you had a great HC/QB pair. I think there’s something to that.
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### Author:  [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/44 "2024-10-08T22:30:20Z")
> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> In both cases you had a great HC/QB pair. I think there’s something to that.
Great point. Other examples back that up. Lombardi/Starr. Noll/Bradshaw. Walsh/Montana. Even Jimmy Johnson/Aikman.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/45 "2024-10-09T05:26:50Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#):
>
> Why is it that all the NFL announcers say “red area” instead of “red zone” now? It sounds stupid and they all changed at the same time which means it must’ve been some directive from the league. Is it some sort of stupid trademark thing or something? But since NFL owns “redzone” I can’t imagine what the problem is.
I can’t find any online references to back this up, but what I’ve heard (maybe imagined?) is that some coaches, notably Belichick and his disciples, like to think of the field as being broken up into distinct areas.
The **yellow area** is from the offense’s own goal line to its 10 or 15-yard line. So called because of the implied danger when running plays in this region and how pinning teams down here dramatically reduces their chances of generating a scoring drive.
The **green area** is the center of the field from their own 10 or 15 to the opponent’s 20. This is the middle of the field where you have the whole playbook to work with.
The **red area** is just the red zone. But they shift the terminology to reflect the idea that this area is part of a continuum that spans the whole field.
Why they didn’t just stick with green zone and yellow zone is a mystery. Probably someone decided that coming up with a slightly new wording allows them to claim ownership of the idea in some self-aggrandizing way. But like I said, take this with a grain of salt, this is an idea I’ve somehow internalized, but I’ll be damned if I can find anything more official to support it.
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/46 "2024-10-09T06:10:12Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> I can’t find any online references to back this up, but what I’ve heard (maybe imagined?) is that some coaches, notably Belichick and his disciples, like to think of the field as being broken up into distinct areas.
I found your explanation almost exactly in this forum thread from 2007:
> **[Football Field Zones | Jerry Campbell Football](https://jcfb.forums.net/thread/13769/football-field-zones)**
>
> Gentlemen,
>
> I know about the Red Zone (inside the 20 of the attacking part of the field) but what are the other zones called (I have seen it discussed elsewhere, but forget what they are calle
But they didn’t say where they got it from. I can’t find it repeated anywhere else.
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### Author:  [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/47 "2024-10-09T11:48:21Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> I can’t find any online references to back this up, but what I’ve heard (maybe imagined?) is that some coaches, notably Belichick and his disciples, like to think of the field as being broken up into distinct areas.
This is anecdotal, but as a Patriots fan I can confirm that Belichick has been saying “red area” instead of “red zone” in press conferences for as long as I can remember.
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/48 "2024-10-09T14:07:39Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#):
>
> This is anecdotal, but as a Patriots fan I can confirm that Belichick has been saying “red area” instead of “red zone” in press conferences for as long as I can remember.
Here’s evidence:
> **[Bill Belichick: 'Our red area defense was big'](https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2012/01/22/bill_belichick_38/)**
>
> Patriots coach Bill Belichick gave credit where credit was due -- particularly to his defense -- when he addressed the media during his postgame press conference at Gillette Stadium
So I’m sure Tom picked up the habit from him.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2024, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2024-25-week-5/1008343/49 "2024-10-09T20:52:39Z")
I got curious and did some Googling and found this.
> **[Four Critical Zones 4-3 Under | Football Strategies](https://www.xsosfootball.com/executing-within-the-four-critical-zones/#:~:text=The%20yellow%20zone%20is%20what,will%20score%20from%20this%20position)**
>
> In this X’s and O’s Football Strategies article, we want to focus in on executing the offense on the field. To do so, we divide the field into four critical zones: yellow, green, red, and gold.
Same concept, but using zones instead of areas.
> **[Understanding Field Position & Possibilities - Football Toolbox](https://footballtoolbox.net/understanding-field-position-possibilities#:~:text=Green%20Zone%20Goal%20Line%20to,the%20ball%20over%20to%20them)**
>
> The following page will give us an understanding about offensive play decisions as an offense moves down the field coming out of the their end zone and moving the length of the field. The field is broken down into seven zones. Green Zone Goal...
This one references a green zone, but omits the idea of a yellow zone.
> **[What is the green zone in football? Is it different than the red zone?](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-green-zone-in-football-Is-it-different-than-the-red-zone)**
>
> Answer (1 of 2): The red zone is different from the green zone because the red zone is an actual thing in football and the green zone is not.
>
> The red zone is the area inside the opponents 20 yard line. The green zone is... I've never heard that...
Quora has another slightly different description of the green zone.
> **[Defending the Green Zone](http://www.blitzology.com/2019/08/defending-green-zone.html)**
>
> There are many ways to define field zones and use that information for game planning purposes. When an opposing offense crosses midfield her...
Here’s another different usage of green zone.
> **[Understanding Football's Green Zone: Strategies, Tech, and Impact - The...](https://thebruinsblog.net/football-green-zone/)**
>
> Explore football's "Green Zone" with insights on strategies, technology, and impact. Learn how this concept enhances game performance and analysis, shaping modern tactics and decision-making.
And one more that aligns with my description.
So what’s the take away? I think I can safely say I didin’t dream up the idea, but it’s at best a niche concept. As for why “area” vs. “zone”, maybe that’s just a Belichick thing.
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