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American football might at first appear to be a game relying primarily on strength, speed and size, but the strategic elements of the game are also extremely important. Prior to a game, a team's coaching staff and players must be aware of their own offensive and defensive capabilities and how these match up with their opponent's capabilities. During the game the team will constantly adjust in response to the opposing team's play and the in-game situation (including the score, time remaining, and other factors).

Whether on offense, defense, or special teams, each member of a team must know how the team as a whole will attack and must be prepared to react to the opposing team's strategy.

Offensive strategy

The overall goal of offensive strategy is to score points. In order to do so, coaches and players choose to execute certain types of plays based on a variety of factors, which may include: the type of defensive strategy the opposing team is employing; the health and experience of the players on both the offensive and defensive teams; the amount of time remaining before halftime or the end of the game; and the number of points that either team would need to score in order to take the lead and win the game.

Basics

The team that has possession of the football is said to be on offense. Each team's time on offense may also be referred to as a drive. On taking possession of the football, the team on offense has four tries (or "downs") to advance the ball and achieve one of the following outcomes:

  • Move at least ten yards closer to the opposing team's end zone, thereby gaining a first down and beginning a new series of downs - in other words, allowing at least four more chances to advance the ball further or attempt to score.
  • Run the ball into the opposing team's end zone, or throw the ball to a player standing in the opposing team's end zone, thus scoring a touchdown (six points, plus an attempt to score a point after touchdown or two point conversion)
  • Move close enough to the opposing team's goal so that the team on offense can send in its kicking team and attempt to score a field goal (three points)
  • If none of the above three happen, the team on offense will usually choose to punt - kick the ball away - on fourth down. (See Special teams strategy below).

Time management

Choosing plays based on the amount of time remaining on the game clock is a key element of offensive strategy. For example, a team which is behind in points late in the game will go on offense wanting not only to score, but to score quickly. Passing the ball is a quicker way of moving toward the goal and scoring than running the ball, and passing plays also allow more chances to stop the game clock (e.g. on an incomplete pass). Conversely, a team which goes on offense while leading in points toward the end of a game will want to keep the game clock running as much as possible, giving the opposing team less time to attempt a comeback. In such a case the team will likely choose running plays on offense, as these make it more likely that the clock will continue to run between plays, allowing less time for the opposing team to score if and when it regains possession of the ball.

One example of time management contributing to a win is the 21 November 2005 NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. With the score tied at 17 in the closing seconds of the game, the Vikings on offense made a first down well within field goal kicking range. On first down and second down, the Vikings' quarterback knelt down (see "Downing a knee"), forcing the Packers to use their two remaining time-outs to stop the clock. On third down, the Vikings allowed the clock to run down to three seconds remaining before using their own time-out and sending in their kicker, Paul Edinger. Thus the Vikings ensured their survival: if the field goal try was unsuccessful, the game would continue into overtime and they would still have a chance to win the game. As it happened, the kick was made successfully just as the clock expired, and the final score was Minnesota 20, Green Bay 17.

Offensive players

On offense, there are three type of players: linemen, backs, and receivers. The players' abilities combined with the coach's philosophy will determine what formations a team will run their plays out of. Also, in many cases a coach will choose players with abilities that complement certain offensive formations and plays he likes. The basic offensive positions and those players' duties, however, generally do not vary from team to team.

The position name (as well as the initial abbreviations recognized by coaches, players, and fans alike, shown in bold below) may vary from one teams' playbook to another, but these are the ones most commonly used:

Linemen
  • Center: The Center (C) is the player who snaps the ball to the quarterback (QB). Like the other four linemen, his job is blocking — run blocking means pushing the defenders away from the ball carrier on a running play, pass blocking means stopping the defenders from disrupting or tackling the QB. The center is also usually responsible for calling the blocking schemes on the line, directing the other linemen on who blocks whom.
  • Guard: Guards (G) line up on both sides of the center. The guards are generally bigger than the center and are typically better run blockers than pass blockers.
  • Tackle: Tackles (T) are the "bookends" of the offensive line. They are usually the biggest offensive linemen, but also must be agile enough to thwart any outside pass rush. If a team has a righthanded QB, the left tackle is usually the best pass blocker on the line to prevent a "blindside" pass rush the QB might not see.

Backs
  • Quarterback: The Quarterback (QB) is the leader of the offense, making sure the team knows which plays are being run. The QB must take the ball from the C (in a motion called the 'snap') and put it into play. In most offenses, his primary duty is either passing (throwing) the ball or making the opposing team believe he is going to pass the ball while actually handing it off to the RB who carries the ball downfield. Since passing the ball is an offense's quickest way to advance the ball, a team must have a QB who can throw the ball accurately and make quick, correct decisions as to which player is in the best position to receive the throw. In some offenses, the QB is often called upon to run the ball downfield as part of the play, and a QB might have to take the ball and run if his screen of protective players breaks down and there are no open receivers.
  • Halfback: The Halfback (HB) is traditionally only used in the Wing T and Stack I formations. In the Stack I, he lines up behind the QB and behind the FB and mostly runs the ball. He may also line up just outside and behind the TE, or the Wingback (WB) position, and be used to either block on the outside or run a pass route.
  • Fullback: The Fullback (FB) is also a running back, but in recent years, the FB position has developed into more of a blocking back, and in some schemes a receiver. The FB is usually the bigger, more physical of the two running backs, and so the QB will often hand the ball to his FB in short yardage situations where every inch must be earned the hard way.
  • Tailback: The Tailback (TB), or Running Back (RB), is on the field for one major purpose: to run the ball. If a team is to have an effective running game, it falls on the TB's shoulders. He may have blocking duties in some offenses and on some plays he may become a receiver, but in most offenses, the TB is there to run the ball.

Receivers
  • Wide receiver: Depending on the formation, an offense may have anywhere from zero to five wide receivers (WRs). Most base formations feature two WRs, though three-WR formations are common as well. WRs are among the fastest and most agile players on the team and their job is to get "open" (create separation between themselves and defenders), catch the ball when thrown to them, and run after the catch. Well-rounded receivers are also effective downfield blockers, though effectiveness in that regard is secondary to their pass-catching role.

  • Tight end: The tight end (TE) was traditionally a blocking position but is now considered a hybrid wide receiver/lineman. TEs are among the most well-rounded athletes on the field as they must be strong enough to run block and pass block, and agile enough to run pass routes and effectively catch the football. A TE's size presents matchup problems for smaller defenders, such as cornerbacks, while their speed gives them an advantage versus larger but slower defenders such as linebackers. In the 1980s, Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs developed a hybrid TE/fullback position called H-Back; this player is usually TE-sized and replaces the fullback on the field, but has more pass-catching responsibility and less running unless "flexed" to the usual FB alignment. The H-Back may line up as a second TE on the opposite side from the first, but most commonly lines up immediately behind the first TE.

Offensive formations

Before the ball is snapped the offensive team lines up in a formation. Most teams have a "base" formation they prefer to line up in, while other teams leave the defense guessing. Teams will often have "special formations" which they only use in obvious passing situations, short yardage or goaline situations, or formations they have developed for that particular game just to confuse the defense. Because there are a nearly unlimited number of possible formations, only a few of the more common ones are listed below.

Offensive plays

Offensive nomenclature
In the calling of a play, just like on defense, there are condensed play calls that are translated into more complicated plays in the heads of each player. An example of a running play the quarterback would call in the huddle would be:

Pro Left 35 Power

The first word denotes the formation of the offense; in this case it is the Pro Set, a one tight end, two wide receiver formation where the fullback and running back line up at equal depths in the backfield, one player to either side. The second word indicates the strong side of the formation, generally the side featuring the tight end and flanker (a wide receiver lined up away from the line of scrimmage) in most formations. The split end receiver lines up on the opposite (weak) side, on the line of scrimmage. The tailback also lines up on the weakside. There are formations where there are exceptions like I-form, where the tailback is lined up neither left nor right, since the tailback is inline with the fullback and quarterback, or trips, where all three receivers are on the same side. The first digit in the number denotes who the ball is going to:

10 - Quarterback

20 - Fullback

30 - Tailback/Running Back

40 - Third running back or slotback (rarely used in American football, generally used in Canadian football in wishbone formation if at all because of the 12th player available)

The receivers have their own designations too:

X - Split End

Y - Tight End / Slot Receiver

Z - Wide Out

The term "power" indicates the type of play. In this case, the fullback would be leading the running back through the hole called, the 5 hole. But what is the 5 hole? Here is a diagram of how the formation would look based on the play called:

Y T G C G T X Z QB FB TB

The holes are even to the right of the center and odd to the left of the center. In this case,

TE T G C G T ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 7 5 3 1 0 2 4

Were this to be the Base I formation, with the tight end on the right, then there would be a 6 hole, which would be outside the tight end. As it is, this play would be a run between the tackle and the tight end.

Passing uses a different type of naming. Since it is not always certain who the ball is going to, each receiver has a route. An example is:

I Y-Motion 245 H-Swing

Again, the I is the formation, and there is no formation modifier word this time. However, there is the "Y-Motion" call (this is an arbitrary name, there are different ways of calling motion for every coach.). In this case it refers to the Y-receiver, and calls for him to motion across the formation to the other side moments before the snap is called. This time the digits correspond to 3 different receivers, and each digit represents a number on the passing tree. The first digit is the X receiver, the second is the Y receiver, and the last is the Z receiver.

0 - Quick hitch

1 - Quick out

2 - Slant

3 - Deep out

4 - Drag

5 - Corner

6 - Curl

7 - Wheel

8 - Post

9 - Fly

In this case, the split end is running a slant, the tight end is running a drag, and the wide out is running a corner. The H-Swing call is a route for the backfield, in this case a swing route for the halfback (tailback). This call is optional, the absence of which calls for the halfback to block.

In both running and passing plays, blocking schemes are tacit and rehearsed. Different types of plays call for different schemes. Passing plays call for the linemen to step back and protect against the pass rush, with the backs and tight ends occasionally helping. There is variation to this, in the form of sprintouts, rollouts, play action passes and screen passes. Running plays call for the linemen to get a push against the defense, moving forward to help the running back gain yardage by opening holes and blocking would-be tacklers. Variations may be pulling guards (often used on trap, counter, and other plays to the outside) and draw plays.

Running plays
Often the choice of running play depends on the strengths of an offensive team, and the weaknesses of the defense they are opposing. For example, plays to the outside of the offensive tackles are often advantageous for a team fielding a fast running back, since it would ostensibly reduce the effectiveness of the slower defensive linemen, whereas inside runs would be favoured by a slower "power" running back, since the back is easier to tackle running to a side rather than straight ahead. Some plays also offer better cutback lanes to better allow an agile running back to make defenders miss and thereby increase yardage.

Similarly, run strategy can be decided by the weaknesses of the defense. A weakness of the interior defensive linemen, the tackles, may be targeted by running a lot of runs inside, since theoretically the offensive guards could moving the tackles at will, creating wide open holes for the back to run through. A team with weak defensive ends may have trouble containing the runner inside, and the offense would therefore look to get outside and break off some big runs.

Special offensive plays
  • "Spiking" the football
    • Because an incomplete pass stops the game clock, a team's quarterback will sometimes "spike" the ball (throw it directly at the ground) in order to stop the clock without using a time out. This is most commonly done when a team is trying to score points late in the second or fourth quarter and/or when the team has run out of time-outs.

  • Downing a knee
    • This play is essentially the opposite of spiking the ball. Because the game clock does not stop after a player is tackled in bounds (except after a change of possession or an injury) a team's quarterback will sometimes kneel immediately after the ball is snapped to him in order to use up time on the clock. By using up time at the end of the game in this manner, a team can deny its opponent the opportunity to score, or can hasten the end of the half (halftime) or the end of the game when the score is tied, sending the game into overtime. The process in college football is slightly different in that the NFL. In college, the quarterback takes 2 to 3 steps back before kneeling, whereas in the NFL, the quarterback kneels immediately. This play is sometimes referred to as "victory formation", as a team which has the lead and possession of the ball in the final seconds of a game will typically use this play.

Specific offensive strategies

There are several offensive strategies that have evolved over the years, especially after the NFL outlawed most downfield contact on receivers (that is, past the 5 yard "chuck" zone, where most contact is allowed). Thus, recent strategies attempt to utilize the passing game to open up the defense, as it is less predictable and carries the possibility for greater gain.

  • The "Run and Gun" offense relies heavily on the deep or "vertical" passing game. It features a quarterback with an excellent arm and a bevy of fast wide receivers that can stretch the defensive alignment vertically. This offensive scheme also demands excellent pass blocking from its offensive lineman. Although running the football is still somewhat common, unlike in other schemes the "pass sets up the run." Run and gun offenses use halfback draws and halfback delays to keep the defense from pass rushing and keeping 5 or 6 defensive backs in the game every down. Teams that use this offense are the Indianapolis Colts, the St. Louis Rams, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

  • The "Power Football" (colloquially, "Smashmouth Football") offense is a traditional scheme referred to as "three yards and a cloud of dust." It depends heavily on large, powerful running backs running straight ahead and gaining yards after contact (YAC). This offense uses "the run to set up the pass" via play-action. This offense is very patient and is most effective when matched with a dominating defense that keeps the opponent from scoring. Power Football allows the team to control the ball for longer periods of time, denying the opposing offense time with the ball. Few teams use this offense; in recent years only the Washington Redskins, the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers are true Power Football teams.

Defensive strategy

The general goal of defensive strategy is to prevent the opposing team's offense from scoring. While doing so, the defensive players may also attempt to gain control of the football and score points themselves. There are many different defensive strategies.

For a discussion of the basic elements of defensive strategy, see American football defensive schemes.

Defensive formations

3-4
The 3-4 defense declined in popularity over the years, but has found renewed use by modern professional and college football teams. The 3-4 defense is so named because it involves 3 down linemen and 4 linebackers. There are usually 4 defensive backs.

The 3 down linemen attempt to break into the backfield in order to sack or rush the quarterback or to stop running backs and other players behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive line is made up of a nose tackle (NT), who lines up in front of the opposing team's center and two defensive ends (DEs), who flank the nose tackle on both sides. Linemen in 3-4 schemes tend to be more massive than their 4-3 counterparts to take up more space and guard more territory along the defensive front.

4 linebackers line up behind the defensive line. In a 3-4 defense, the linebacker unit is made up of two middle or inside linebackers (MLBs/ILBs), who are flanked on both sides by outside linebackers (OLBs).

The strength of the 3-4 is its ability by its design to confuse the quarterback during passing plays. Most teams generate a pass rush by sending at least 4 defensive men at the quarterback. In a standard 4-3 alignment, these 4 rushers are usually the 4 down linemen. But in a 3-4, the fourth rusher is a linebacker. Since there are 4 linebackers, the fourth potential rusher can come from a variety of spots on the field, thus influencing and sometimes confusing the quarterback's pre-snap defensive read.

A drawback of the 3-4 is that without a fourth lineman to take on the offensive blockers and close the running lane, both the defensive linemen and the linebackers can be overwhelmed by blocking schemes in the running game; thus a 3-4 defense requires a large and strong nose tackle able to routinely tie up 2 or more blockers, freeing the middle linebackers to make the tackle. The 3-4 linebackers must be very athletic and strong enough to shed blocks by fullbacks, tight ends, and offensive linemen to get to the running back.

4-3
The 4-3 defense is probably the most commonly used defense in modern American Football and espically in the NFL. The 4-3 defense is so named because it involves 4 down linemen and 3 linebackers. There are usually also 4 defensive backs.

Defensive Line Defensive Tackles There are 2 defensive tackles in the 4-3 scheme. The first one, called an Over Tackle, is similar to the NT in the 3-4 in the fact that he is a little bigger and stronger and plays the 2 gap technique. It is called the 2 gap technique because he is responsible for 2 offensive linemen, generally the Center and Guard. His primary job is to stop the run and take up 2 or more blockers. The second DT, called an Under Tackle, is a bit smaller and faster, similar to a 3-4 DE. He plays a 1 gap technique meaning he is responsible for 1 offensive lineman, generally the remaining Guard. His primary responsibility is to rush the passer and stop the run.

Defensive Ends The defensive end’s primary role in the 4-3 defense is to get to the quarterback and create pressure. The 4-3 Des are the smallest of all of the defensive lineman due to their emphasis of speed over strength. They still need to be strong enough to fight their way past offensive tackles, yet quick enough to pursue the Running backs on runs to the outside. Defensive ends generally play the 1 gap technique, though will occasionally be forced to play a 2 gap in the event of a TE pinching in to block on run plays.

Linebackers Middle Linebacker There is only 1 inside linebacker in the 4-3 scheme, so he is called the Middle linebacker. Also known as the Mike, he acts as the quarterback of the defense and is often the defensive leader. The primary responsibility of the Mike is to stop the run, though he will often be asked to fall back in zone coverage. Because of this the Mike is often the largest and strongest of all of the Linebackers

Outside Linebackers As in the 3-4 there are 2 outside linebackers in the 4-3. These outside backers are known as Sam and Will. The Sam linebacker typically sticks to the strong side of the defense, across from the TE. The Sam does his fair share of blitzing, however he also needs to play the run and will usually be relied upon to cover the tight end or potentially a back out of the backfield. The Will will generally play on the weak side and has more freedom than the other LBs, often blitzing the QB or guarding against the screen.

Secondary The 4-3 defense generally uses 4 defensive backs. Two of these are safeties, and two of them are corners. A cornerback's responsibilities vary depending on the type of coverage called. Coverage is simply how the defense will be protecting against the pass. The corners will generally line up 3 to 5 yards off the ball, generally trying to “Jam” or interrupt the receivers route within the first 5 yards. A corner will be given one of two ways to defend the pass (with variations that result in more or less the same responsibilities): zone and man-to-man. In zone coverage, the cornerback is responsible for an area on the field. In this case, the corner must always stay downfield of whoever it is covering while still remaining in its zone, always between the sideline and the opposing player. Zone is a more relaxed defensive scheme meant to provide more awareness across the defensive secondary while sacrificing tight coverage. As such, the corner in this case would be responsible for making sure nobody gets outside of him, always, or downfield of him, in cases where there is no deep safety help. In man coverage, however, the cornerback is solely responsible for the man across from him, usually the offensive player split farthest out.

The free safety is responsible for reading the offensive plays and covering deep passes. Depending on the defensive call, he may also provide run support. He is positioned 10 to 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage, toward the center of the field. He provides the last line of defense against running backs and receivers who get past the linebackers and cornerbacks. He must be a quick and smart player, be capable of making tackles efficiently as well as read the play and alert your team of game situations. He is the most skilled player, he is the last defense. The strong safety is usually larger than the free safety and is positioned relatively close to the line of scrimmage. He is often an integral part of the run defense, but is also responsible for defending against a pass; especially against passes to the tight-ends.

The 4-3 is widely used because of its balance in stopping both runs and passes as well as being personnel-friendly since smaller players can be used effectively along the defensive line.

The original version of the 4-3 lined up the tackles over the offensive guards and the end over the offensive tackles, with the middle linebacker over the center and the other linebackers outside the ends. In the mid-1960s Hank Stram developed a popular variation, the "Kansas City Stack", which shifted the strong side defensive end over the tight end, stacked the strongside linebacker over the tackle, and shifted the weakside tackle over center. At about the same time the Cleveland Browns frequently used a weakside shift. The Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry developed a "flex" variation, that moved standout lineman Randy White all over. Now every team has its own variations.

4-4
The 4-4 defense is based around speed, athleticism and intelligence rather than relying too heavily on size and strength as many other defenses do. Versatility is a key as every player can have a variety of roles from one play to the next. It is an attacking defense stocked with multiple blitz packages that can be easily concealed and altered. The top priority of the 4-4 defense is stopping the run and with 8 men in the box on every snap, it puts your defense in a very good position to do just that. In addition, with 8 men in the box (around the line of scrimage), it is difficult for the offense to pin point exactly where the pressure will be coming from when the defense blitzes. One final significant advantage of the 4-4 defense is that it can easily adjust to the offense. The 4-4 can shift into a nickel or dime coverage simply and effectively.

The only major drawback to the 4-4 defense is the potential to give up the big play, both through the air and on the ground. Shifty scat backs with breakaway speed are most successful against the 4-4. If they can cut their way through the layer of linebackers, they will likely only have 1, maybe 2 men to beat in the secondary and depending on their coverage assignments; they may not even be in position to make a tackle anyway. The other way the defense is exposed is on the deep pass. The cornerbacks are often left on an island (with out help from the Safeties), either in man coverage or playing in a 3 deep zone. If a speedy receiver gets past his defender, they’re likely is nothing between him and the end zone. The hope however is that even if a receiver opens up deep, the quarterback won’t have time to deliver the ball because of the pressure.

Defensive Tackles While size is definitely a plus for defensive tackles in the 4-4, its not as important as quickness and the ability to use leverage to manipulate the offensive linemen. Its imperative for the defensive tackles to hold their ground. They cannot allow themselves to get turned around and under no circumstances can they allow themselves to be base blocked, one on one. Again, size is great and certainly helps, but a smaller tackle can be just as effective if he is a good technician. In the base 4-4, the defensive tackles will generally line up in the B gap in a 3 technique (outside eye of the guard). Depending on the read, the defensive tackle will either be asked to penetrate the line of scrimmage, or hold his ground and attempt to take on both the guard and offensive tackle.

Defensive Ends The defensive end’s primary role in the 4-4 defense is to get to the quarterback as fast as possible. They need to be strong enough to fight their way past offensive tackles; however they also need to be athletic enough to act as a linebacker because there are plenty of scenarios in the 4-4 defense that requires the defensive ends to drop into coverage, just as an outside linebacker would do. The ends should do whatever they can to get to the quarterback and on running plays they should pursue down the line of scrimmage, but be careful not to over commit as they need to be ready for a potential cutback.

Inside Linebackers There are 2 inside linebackers in the 4-4 scheme known as the Mike and Will backers. While they both play inside, Mike will shade to the strong side of the offense, Will shades to the weak side. It is important for these inside backers to be aggressive and have a nose for the ball. As in most defenses, the Mike backer acts as the quarterback of the defense and is often the defensive leader. The primary responsibility of both Mike and Will is to stop the run. The Will backer will generally be more active in pass coverage than the Mike. Because of this, the Will backer needs to be athletic enough to drop and almost play like a strong safety.

Outside Linebackers As there are 2 inside linebackers, there are also 2 outside linebackers. These outside backers are known as Sam and Rover. The Sam linebacker typically sticks to the strong side. Sam does his fair share of blitzing, however he also needs to play the run and will usually be relied upon to cover the tight end or potentially a back out of the backfield. Rover will generally play on the weak side, however he can be moved to just about any where to better suit the defensive call or adjustment. The rover is probably the single most versatile position in the 4-4 defense. Depending on the call and the personnel in place, the Rover’s job could be purely to get after the quarterback or to drop into coverage. In a blitzing situation, the Rover is the most likely player to get to the quarterback. The Rover position can be played by a variety of athletic types ranging from an outside linebacker, to a strong safety.

Secondary The cornerbacks are often on islands in man coverage or in a deep zone, and they need to poses exceptional speed and change of direction skills. They also need to be intelligent when diagnosing the play and when in zone coverage, must be able to play the ball. The corners will generally line up 3 to 5 yards off the ball, but will rarely jam because of the risk of a big play. If the corner jams and the receiver is able to get past him, it has a high probability of ending up a big play for the offense. Of course it helps to have corners that can assist in run support, however, their primary responsibility is to shutdown any receiving threat they are assigned to. The safety in the 4-4 defense should be one of the team’s better athletes. He needs to be fast enough to play in coverage and strong enough to help against the run. He needs to have a nose for the ball and be able to diagnose the play to put himself in a position to make a play. The safety will almost always be assigned to the deep middle of the field, however he can also be blitzed in various packages.

5-2

A 5-2 defense is a defense with 5 defensive lineman and 2 linebackers. The defensive lineman most always line up with the offensive lineman. This defense is often used in Middle School and little league but almost never in the NFL or college, except for goal line packages.

The benefit of having a 5-2 is that it adds size to your defense by replacing a linebacker with a defensive lineman. This helps in short-yardage situations where you want to stall the line of scrimmage and not give up the inside run. The disadvantage is in pass coverage -- most 5-2 teams will rush all 5 defensive linemen leaving only 6 pass defenders. In some circumstances a 5-2 team will drop one of the linemen, typically an end, off into coverage. This is primarily a situational defense however, and not often used in situations where downfield pass coverage is a significant concern.

Nickel
The nickel defense is employed in obvious passing situations, or against a team that frequently uses four-wide receiver sets on offense. The defense has 5 defensive backs, and usually has 4 down linemen and 2 linebackers. A lineup of 3 down linemen and 3 linebackers is sometimes used, but this is often called a "3-3-5" defense instead of a "nickel" defense.

In most defenses, the secondary consists of two cornerbacks (CBs), a free safety (FS) and a strong safety (SS). The nickel defense adds an extra defensive back, known as the "nickel back" (NB), in order to defend against the pass. A nickel back is also employed in the "dime" defense (see below) and is usually a cornerback, although safeties can be utilized as well. The term "nickel" comes from the five-cent value of a United States nickel, in reference to the fifth defensive back.

Dime
The dime defense is usually employed in obvious passing situations. The formation usually consists of 6 defensive backs, and has either 4 down linemen and 1 linebacker, or 3 down linemen and 2 linebackers.

A dime defense differs from the nickel in that it adds yet another defensive back to the secondary. The sixth defensive back is called a "dime back" (DB). The defense gets its name because a dime is two nickels.

Prevent
Prevent defenses are geared almost exclusively towards stopping a long pass. They are frequently used in obvious passing situations, such as a third-and-very-long situation, or to prevent a long score on the last play of a half, or when the defense believes that the offense must pass (for example, if the offense is trailing late in a game). The defense trades size for speed, and tries to ensure that no receiver can get behind the defense. A prevent defense will often give up long yardage, but makes scoring a touchdown in a single play very difficult.

The quarter defense has 3 down linemen, 1 linebacker, and 7 defensive backs. The quarter defense gets its name as the next coin after nickel and dime in the sequence of defenses.

Half dollar defenses, with 8 defensive backs, are very rare and are often used to prevent a Hail Mary pass. Professional teams may not have enough defensive backs on the roster to play the quarter or half dollar, so wide receivers are sometimes used to fill the extra positions, particularly in late game situations where the receiver's offensive skills can be put to good defensive use.

Quarter or quarters can also be used to describe a type of zone pass coverage, in which 4 defensive backs divide the field into vertical quarters for zone coverage. This coverage may be combined with a 4-3 or 3-4, and is used to take away deep routes but maintain a good pass rush and run coverage.

The prevent defense is rarely used on consecutive downs, or with a significant amount of time remaining, since a team with time to move downfield would easily be able to gain plenty of intermediate yardage. A standing joke in the NFL says that playing a prevent defense for a prolonged period of time prevents you from winning.

Eight in the box
The defensive linemen and linebackers collectively - or, more properly, the area of the field between the OT on the defensive side - are often referred to as "in the box" and thus normally number seven players; on occasion, however, circumstances call for an additional man to be placed therein (generally a linebacker if the team uses the 4-3 as its base alignment, or a defensive lineman in cases where the 3-4 is ordinarily utilized), whereupon one player in the secondary (most commonly the free safety) is removed from the lineup. Sometimes a player in the secondary (usually the strong safety) acts as an additional linebacker and no actual lineup change ensues. Some teams use a defensive system in which one of the players is cross between a linebacker and a strong safety and is called a "rover".

Teams most often put "eight in the box" or "stack the box" when the opposing team has a strong running game (or weak/ineffective quarterback). By having more players closer to the line of scrimmage the defense can more effectively contain the opposing team's running game.

= 46/Bear
=

A variation of "8 in the box" in the NFL is called the 46 or "Bear" defense. It is designed to put pressure on the QB by lining up the defense with 3 defensive linemen covering the center & guards, and the 4th defensive linemen lined up either "wide" outside the TE or wide off the weak-side Tackle. The linebackers & strong safety are lined up behind the defensive line to put pressure on the QB as well.

This defense earned its name from the team that employed it to near-perfection, the Chicago Bears. The 46 was their base defense when the Monsters of the Midway dominated the 1985 season.

Coverage Shells

In the following, "cover" refers to the "shell" that the defense rolls into after the snap of the ball, more specifically the number of defenders guarding the deep portion of the field.

Cover 2

In traditional Cover 2 schemes the free safety (FS) and strong safety (SS) have deep responsibilities, each guarding half of the field.

Cover 2 can be run from any number of defensive fronts such as the 46, the 3-4, and the 4-3. Various "underneath" coverage played by cornerbacks and linebackers may also be implemented. For example, Cover 2 Man means 2 safeties have deep responsibility while the cornerbacks and linebackers follow their offensive assignment in one-on-one coverage. Cover 2 can also be paired with underneath zone schemes: Cover 2 Zone refers to 2 safeties with deep responsibility but now the CBs and LBs drop back into specific coverage zones where they defend passes ONLY in their assigned area.

Teams that play Cover 2 shells usually ascribe to the "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy, preferring to keep offensive players in front of them for short gains while limiting long passes. This is in stark contrast to a more aggressive Cover 1 type scheme which leaves the offensive team's wide receivers in single man-to-man coverage with only one deep helper. By splitting the deep field between two defenders, the defense can drastically reduce the number of long gains.

The main weakness of the Cover 2 shell occurs in the middle of the field between the safeties. The safeties attempt to gain width upon the snap of the ball to cover any long passes to quick wide receivers down the sideline. This movement creates a natural hole between the safeties that can be attacked. By sending a receiver (usually a tight end) into the hole, the offense forces the safety to make a decision: play the vulnerable hole in the middle of the field or help out on the wide receiver. The quarterback reads the safety's decision and decides on the best matchup (which mismatch is better--TE vs S or WR vs CB).

Cover 1

Cover 1 schemes employ only one deep defender, usually a safety. Many underneath coverages paired with Cover 1 shells are strictly man-to-man with LBs and defensive backs each assigned a different offensive player to cover. By using only one deep defender in Cover 1, the other deep defender is free to blitz the quarterback or provide man-to-man pass coverage help.

Cover 1 schemes are usually very aggressive, preferring to proactively disrupt the offense by giving the quarterback little time to make a decision while collapsing the pocket quickly. This is the main advantage of Cover 1 schemes--the ability to blitz from various pre-snap formations while engaging in complex man-to-man coverage schemes post-snap. For example, a safety may blitz while a CB is locked in man coverage with a WR. Or the CB may blitz with the safety rotating into man coverage on the WR post-snap.

The main weakness of Cover 1 schemes is the lone deep defender that must cover a large amount of field and provide help on any deep threats. Offenses can attack Cover 1 schemes with a vertical stretch by sending two receivers on deep routes, provided that the quarterback has enough time for his receivers to get open. The deep defender must decide which receiver to help out on, leaving the other in man coverage which may be a mismatch.

A secondary weakness is by its design: the use of man coverage opens up yards after catch lanes. Man coverage is attacked by offenses in various ways that try to isolate their best athletes on defenders by passing them the ball quickly before the defender can react or designing plays that clear defenders from certain areas thus opening yards after catch lanes.

Cover 3

Cover 3 refers to 3 deep defenders each guarding one-third of the deep zone. Cover 3 schemes are usually used to defend against passes, mainly those towards the deep middle of the field. Unlike Cover 2 schemes that create a natural hole between safeties, Cover 3's extra deep defender is able to patrol the middle area effectively.

The most basic Cover 3 scheme involves 2 CBs and a safety. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. One safety moves toward the center of the field. The other safety is free to rotate into the flat area (about 2-4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage), provide pass coverage help, or blitz.

As with other coverage shells, Cover 3 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.

The main weakness of Cover 3 shells is the 2 retreating CBs. Since the CBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath the CB can isolate him on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help.

Cover 4

Cover 4 refers to 4 deep defenders each guarding one-fourth of the deep zone. Cover 4 schemes are usually used to defend against deep passes.

The most basic Cover 4 scheme involves 2 CBs and 2 safeties. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. Both safeties backpedal towards their assigned zone.

As with other coverage shells, Cover 4 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.

The main weakness of Cover 4 shells is the retreating defensive backs. Since the DBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath can isolate them on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help.

Cover 0

Cover 0 refers to pure man coverage with no deep defender. Similar to Cover 1, Cover 0 has the same strengths and weaknesses.

Tampa 2

Tampa 2 refers to a style of defense played by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and implemented by its coaches (mainly Defensive Co-Ordinator Monte Kiffin) in recent years. Because of its success it has become popular with many professional and college teams. It blends the Cover 2 and Cover 3 defenses by having two defensives backs, usually the safeties, in deep coverage on either side of the field, and a middle linebacker covering the medium to deep middle. Its benefit over the Cover 2 is that the sidelines and middle of the field are better protected against deep threats, with the drawback being a larger open area in the short middle of the field underneath the middle linebacker. Its benefit over the Cover 3 is that it only dedicates two defensive backs to deep coverage rather than three, allowing for better protection against short outside routes.

Special teams strategy

Special teams is the term used to describe the specialized group of players who take the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal attempts. Most football teams' special teams include one or more kickers, a long snapper (who specializes in accurate snaps over long distances), kick returners who catch and carry the ball after it is kicked by the opposing team, and blockers who defend during kicks and returns.

Some players may take the field as members of the offense or defense as well as the special teams; one notable example is Steven Smith, wide receiver for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, who also played as a kick returner during the 2005 NFL season, and was drafted primarily as a special teams player.

Although these are risky, there are a variety of strategic plays which can be attempted during kickoffs, punts, and field goals which can be used to surprise the opposition and (hopefully) score points.

Kickoff strategy

A kickoff occurs at the beginning of each half and each overtime period, as well as after a successful field goal or touchdown. A coin toss determines which team kicks the ball away and which team receives the ball. After a field goal or a touchdown, the team which scored the points kicks the ball to the opposing team, which in most cases catches the ball and may attempt to "return" it up the field.

Strategically, the coach of the kicking team may choose to have his players kick the ball in one of several ways:

  • Standard kickoff: The kicker attempts a high kick meant to travel the greatest possible distance upfield without rolling into the end zone. The primary goal is to stop the opposing team's ball returner as soon as possible, or to down the ball as close as possible to the opposing team's end zone, thus forcing that team to advance the ball a longer distance in order to have a chance to score.
  • Onside kick: This is usually attempted in the closing minutes of play when a team needs to score again quickly in order to have a chance of winning the game.
  • "Squib kick" or "pooch kick": The squib kick is a low kick that may hit the ground and bounce or roll sooner than a standard kickoff; it is thus less predictable. A squib kick is generally used when trying to avoid a run-back, although this outcome is not guaranteed. A pooch kick is used for a similar purpose, except is a short, high kick that the Kick-Off team can get to before there is a return.
  • Kickoff out-of-bounds: If a kickoff travels over the sidelines either in the air, or bounces in the field of play, then rolls out-of-bounds without being touched by a player on the receiving team, the play results in an illegal procedure penalty. The receiving team may either choose to have the ball re-kicked, or be placed for play 30 yards in advance of the kickoff spot or where the ball went over the sideline, whichever is closer to the opposing team's endzone. Generally, the receiving team will choose the latter option, as good starting field position is guaranteed, whereas a re-kick could result in any number of less desirable options.

Field goal strategy

Field goals are often viewed as a way for teams to turn a disappointing drive into a small victory. However, many football games are decided by field goals in the final minutes or seconds of play, making the ability to kick an accurate field goal vital for any football team.

The strategy for a field goal is fairly straightforward. The team on offense forms a protective semicircle behind the line of scrimmage on either side of the center, who snaps the ball to the holder. The holder positions the ball so that the kicker - moving from a short distance away - can quickly get into position and accurately kick the ball through the goalposts. The remaining players block the opposing team, whose members will be trying to break through the protective circle in order to block the kick or bat it aside for a chance to intercept the ball. If a team misses the field goal, the opposing team takes possession of the ball without a kickoff.

Distance, the amounts of wind and noise within the stadium, and the amount of experience the kicker has are all determining factors in the success or failure of a field goal attempt. The majority of successful field goal attempts are kicked within 50 yards of the goalpost. However, some kickers can - and often do - make good kicks from farther away. The current NFL record for the longest successful field goal was set in 1970 by Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints, who kicked from 63 yards out. It should be noted that Dempsey had a specially shaped prosthetic foot that enabled him to make such long kicks, and that such prosthetics have since been outlawed. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied this record in 1998.

Modern kickers use a soccer style kick, which involves taking a diagonal approach to the ball and kicking with the inside of the foot. Many kickers in the 1950's and earlier kicked the ball by lining up directly behind it and approaching straight ahead. This is still seen today in a limited capacity in high school and college football.

In some situations, a coach may choose to have his team fake a field goal attempt. The players line up as normal, but instead of holding the ball for a kick, the player receiving the snap may run with the ball, hand it off to another player, or attempt to throw it downfield. This play is quite risky and therefore not used often.

It is possible for the defensive team to return a missed field goal, although this is attempted very rarely. If a field goal attempt is short of the goal posts and the ball is caught by a defensive player before it hits the ground, the player may return the ball just as on a punt. Teams usually try a return only when a very long field goal is attempted at the end of the first half, since in all other cases it is more advantageous for the defense to just let the ball fall short. Recently, a return of this type has happened in both 2002 (Chris McAlister of the Baltimore Ravens, for 107 yards versus the Denver Broncos) and 2005 (Nathan Vasher of the Chicago Bears, for 108 yards versus the San Francisco 49ers; this currently holds the record for longest play in NFL history).

Punting strategy

Most teams punt on fourth down when the chances of gaining enough yards for a first down are slim and when the ball is too far from the goalpost to allow a field goal try. Generally, a member of the opposing team moves into position to catch the ball. He may try to gain yards by running the ball downfield, or he may signal a fair catch by waving one arm above his head, thus agreeing that he will not attempt to return the ball downfield. A player who has signalled a fair catch may not be tackled after catching the ball.

In some cases, a coach may attempt trickery by switching between his offense and special teams players between plays. A coach may call a time-out, send the kicking team onto the field, and then when the play clock resumes quickly run his offense back on and his kicking team off, hopefully disorienting the defending team enough to advance on the ensuing play or cause a penalty if the defending team cannot switch personnel quickly enough. However, this trickery can also result in penalties against the offense if the play takes too long (delay of game) or if too many players remain on the field when the ball is snapped.

Occasionally a coach will line his team up in a shotgun formation and have the quarterback "quick kick" or "pooch punt" -- using the element of surprise to cause the defense not to have a receiver ready.

Downing the ball
If, for whatever reason, the receiving team does not catch the ball, the kicking team may move into position and try to down it as close as possible to the opposing team's end zone. This is achieved by surrounding the ball and allowing it to roll or bounce, without touching it, as close as possible to the end zone. If the ball appears to be rolling or bouncing into the end zone, a player may run in front of the goal line and attempt to bat it down or catch it. If a member of the kicking team touches or catches the ball before a member of the receiving team does so, the ball is dead and the receiving team takes possession at the spot the ball was contacted.

Thus it is strategically important for kicking teams to get as close to the ball as possible after a punt, so that they may quickly tackle a returner, down the ball as close to the opposing team's end zone as possible, and (if possible) recover the ball after a fumble and regain possession of the ball.

Fake punts
In much the same way as a fake field goal (described above), a fake punt is an effort to trick the opposition and either score or gain enough yards for a first down. Fake punts are risky for the same reasons as fake field goals and are thus rarely attempted.

In 2005 the opposite of this play has become increasingly popular, with teams lining up in a shotgun offensive alignment or field goal attempt alignment. The ball is snapped to the QB/holder/kicker, who immediately punts the ball. This is done in situations where a full length punt would simply result in a touchback and allows the punting team a better chance of getting downfield to prevent the punt from entering the endzone (the reasoning being that the defensive backs will not jam the receivers off the line as they would the gunners in a punting alignment).

Punts out-of-bounds
Skilled punters may try to punt a ball past the return team so that the ball touches the playing field in bounds, then rolls out of bounds close to the opposing team's end zone. The drawback to such a punt is that the ball may roll into the end zone (touchback), giving the receiving team decent field position. The best punters are highly regarded for their ability to put the ball out of bounds within five yards of the goal line. These punts are also known as "coffin corner punts" due to their ability to act as a "coffin nail" to an opposing offense.

Receiving kicks

The biggest choice facing a kick returner is whether or not to attempt to run the ball back. Generally, a returner who catches a kickoff or punt in the "red zone" between the receiving team's own end zone and 20 yard line will attempt some sort of return, if only to gain a few yards. If the receiving team's players can get into position quickly, they may be able to allow the returner to gain further yardage or break away from the pack entirely and score a touchdown.

In extreme cases - generally during kickoff returns in the closing seconds of play - the returner may attempt a lateral pass to avoid the ball being downed in a tackle. The return team may throw as many lateral passes as they choose, and this is normally done in a desperate attempt to keep the ball alive. Perhaps the most famous (or infamous) use of lateral passes during a kickoff return came in the closing seconds of the 1982 Stanford vs. Cal game, in which five laterals during a kickoff return allowed the U.C. Berkeley Bears to score a controversial winning touchdown.

If a punted ball is touched, even inadvertently, by a member of the receiving team it becomes a live ball and may be recovered as if a fumble by the kicking team. All place-kicked balls, kick-offs and field goal attempts, are live balls which may be played by either team.

A kick returner may signal a fair catch if the ball will be caught with good field position, or if the kicking team's members are advancing so quckly that a return is impossible. However, he will be penalized if he attempts a return after signaling a fair catch; likewise, players who tackle a returner who has signaled a fair catch will be penalized. If a player waves for a fair catch and then fails to touch the ball, it may be downed as normal by the kicking team or recovered and returned by the receiving team. However, if any member of the receiving team catches a ball and then drops it, it becomes a live ball and may be recovered by either side.

See also

External links

  • NFL The official website of the National Football League - the primary professional American football league.
  • American Football Coaches Association Association of American Football coaches. Most of the major coaches, especially at the college level, belong to this organization.
  • CoachSchorr.com A free resource of information, including diagrammed and annotated plays and articles, about coaching American football.

American football

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "American football strategy".

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