In basketball, a cut is a quick motion or change of direction on the court to evade a defensive player with the goal of becoming open on the floor. Cutting differs from screening in that screening involves numerous players, whereas cutting is more of an individual technique. Cuts are used primarily by guards and forwards but can be done by small players when playing against larger opponents.
There are two types of cuts: straight-ahead cuts and back-door cuts. In both cases, the objective is to get past your defender and into open space where you can use your best skill (i.e., shoot or pass). Straight-ahead cuts are made when an attacker wants to go directly to the basket without passing the ball or screening for a shot. Back-door cuts are made when the attacker wants to kick out to an open teammate who is behind him or her.
Guards make straight-ahead cuts by taking one or two steps forward then shooting or passing. They will usually cut toward the middle of the court if there are no defenders there. Forwards make straight-ahead cuts by taking several strong strides and throwing down a dunk or layup. They may also cut toward the basket if there's nothing blocking their way. On the other hand, backs make back-door cuts by first looking for an open teammate at the free-throw line or near the three-point line before darting back door.
A cut block and a chop block are distinguished by a single distinction. Both include a blocker lunging at the defender's lower body. A chop block is essentially a cut block that occurs while a defender is already being blocked by another player. Bob McKittrick was the first to use cut blocks. Today, they are used primarily by defensive linemen who want to get past their opponents' blockers.
Cut blocking is using your arm or leg as a cutting tool to gain advantage in the NFL game. Most often, it's done by defensive linemen who want to reach the opposing quarterback or running back. It can also be used by linebackers and secondary players if the situation calls for it. A good example of this type of blocking is when a linebacker uses his/her shoulder to cut off a pass on a slant route.
In college football, you often see cut blocks used by wide receivers going up against man coverage, looking for openings underneath the last line of defense. If the cornerback switches over with inside help, the receiver will usually find an opening and break free for a big play. In the pros, though, those types of cuts aren't always effective because the linebackers are better players and can sometimes even lead with their head instead of just using it as a cutting tool. But cut blocks are still useful tools for offensive linemen to have in their arsenals.
In football, a "cut block" is a play in which an offensive lineman tackles a defensive player below the waist in an attempt to knock him down and prevent him from getting to the ball carrier. The term comes from the fact that the player making the block uses his arm and shoulder to "cut" down the opposing player.
On offense, the quarterback hands the ball off or throws a pass, depending on what type of play it is. On a run play, the center will call out a handoff or a pitch. On a pass play, the quarterback looks for a receiver with room to run. If he doesn't find anyone, he'll check down to another open receiver.
All players on the field other than the quarterback must have a helmet on. Therefore, only offensive players can be removed from the game via injury, unless the quarterback is injured or cannot be found in which case any player on the team can fill in as a substitute. Defensive players can be removed by penalty (such as delay of game) or after three downs instead of four (if the defense gets the ball back after an offensive turnover).
During a football game, situations may arise where a player is unable to continue because of injury. Until recently, coaches did not want to take any chances with their star players and they would often pull them out of the game.
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