The three linebackers, two cornerbacks and two safeties are responsible for covering the middle of the field. The outside linebackers' general zone is between the cornerbacks, covering the area of the field from the line of scrimmage to 10 yards back. The middle linebacker must have better-than-average speed, and additional skills to be able to read the play and either maintain his central position to help the outside linebackers cover short passes, drop behind the linebackers in coverage and protect the zone of the field behind the outside linebackers from 11–20 yards out, or run up to the line of scrimmage to help assist in stopping the runs. "It takes a special linebacker to do that, a guy with speed," wrote Pete Prisco, senior NFL writer for "CBSSports.com". The cornerbacks protect the sidelines of the field from the line of scrimmage to anywhere between 15–20 yards out. According to Prisco, they "don't have to be great man-to-man cover players, but they have to be guys who can tackle." Dungy always expected his linebackers and cornerbacks to be above-average tacklers, as they are usually the primary tacklers in the defense.