Football 101
Strategies
If the TV announcer talks about a "down and out"* and you think some poor player is having a horrible day, it's time you mastered a few nuances of the game. Brush up on your strategies right here.
*Down and out - A passing play where the receiver runs straight downfield, then suddenly cuts toward the sideline.
When would a team attempt a two-point conversion instead of an extra point kick?
When would a defense decide to blitz the quarterback?
When would a team attempt an onside kickoff?
When would a team decide to run a "no-huddle" offense?
When would a quarterback call an audible?
How does a team decide to run the ball versus pass the ball?
When would a team decide to "go for it" on fourth down instead of punting?
When and why would an offense try and "stretch" (throw long on) a defense?
When and why does a defensive team go into a "prevent" defense?
When would a team attempt a two-point conversion instead of an extra point kick?
The majority of the time NFL teams kick an extra point after a touchdown. A 20-yard kick is generally very easy for an NFL kicker, while a two-point conversion (getting the ball in the end zone from 2 yards away) can prove extremely difficult for the offense. Because of its difficulty, most coaches only choose to attempt a two-point conversion when it is absolutely necessary. But when is that?
Consider this scenario: The St. Louis Rams have just scored a touchdown with less than a minute to play in the game. The score stands at 21-19, with the Rams losing. An extra point kick would still leave them down by a point with only a minute left. Let's face it — it would be highly unlikely they would have the opportunity to score again. So, in order to tie the game and go into overtime, the Rams must take a chance on the two-point conversion.
Teams may also use a two-point conversion to tighten or lengthen the scoring gap between them and their opponent. If a team scores and they are still down by 9, they may attempt the two-point conversion in the hopes that they can shorten the gap to a manageable 7 points (one touchdown).
When would a defense decide to blitz the quarterback?
The majority of blitzes are run on downs (plays) when there is a high probability that the offensive team will be passing the ball. For instance, on third down and 12 yards to go, the offense needs to cover a lot of ground in one play. The only way to effectively cover that ground is to pass the ball, and defenses are aware of this too. By sending multiple defensive players into the offensive backfield, the quarterback is forced to throw the ball before he is ready or risk being sacked. More often than not, an early throw by a quarterback leads to either an incompletion or an interception, both positive results for the defense.
When would a team attempt an onside kickoff?
An onside kickoff is when the kicker (instead of kicking the ball down the field) kicks the ball so that it rolls on the ground only a short distance. The other 10 players run to where the ball is kicked and try to gain possession of it before the receiving team. Typically, a team only attempts an onside kickoff when it needs multiple scores (touchdowns or field goals) within a short amount of time in order to catch up to the other team.
If a team is down by 14 with less than 2 minutes left in the game and they score a touchdown to put them within 7 points of the other team, they will be forced to attempt an onside kick if they hope to win or tie the game. Most likely, the team won't be getting the ball back before time runs out, so a regular kickoff, in essence, loses the game for them. Their only opportunity at winning the game is to get the ball back right away and score again before the clock runs out, and the only way to do this is to attempt an onside kick.
Other than late in games, onside kicks are rarely seen. The ball is kicked off from the 35 yard line and must go 10 yards before the kicking team may recover it. If they fail to recover the ball, then the opposing team starts with the ball at the 45 or 50 yard line. Not a great position to put your defense into. For this reason, onside kicks are a rarity outside of the last 2 minutes in a game.
When would a team decide to run a "no-huddle" offense?
When an offense engages in a huddle, it normally takes between 20-25 seconds before they separate and move to their spots on the field, and the clock is running. At the end of either half, a team may be pressed for time in their attempt to score, and those 20-25 seconds cannot be wasted in the huddle. The team instead rushes to the line of scrimmage after the completion of each play and snaps the ball as quickly as possible.
Another advantage of the no-huddle is that the defense does not have enough time to huddle either, creating confusion and exhaustion on the defensive side of the ball. Occasionally an offense may run the no-huddle when time constraints are not a consideration, just to keep the defense disorganized and tired.
When would a quarterback call an audible?
A quarterback makes a series of "reads," or observations concerning the placement and personnel of the defense, before the ball is snapped. If during those reads he realizes that the defensive team is in a perfect position to stop the play the offense is about to run, he will call an audible to change the play.
How does a team decide to run the ball versus pass the ball?
There are two main factors: down and distance. The offensive coaches (the ones who decide which play to run) must consider which down in the series of four they are on and how far they have to go. If the team needs to move a lot of yards before reaching a first down, then a pass (which typically covers more ground than a run) is probably going to be called. If the offense only needs 1 yard before reaching the first-down marker, then a run will most likely be called.
Another factor in considering what play to call has to do with the safety and control of the football. A run puts the ball into the running back's hands by means of low-risk handoff, and minimizes the risk of a turnover. If the ball is passed, there is a chance it could be off target or deflected, leading to a possible interception. Running is safer, but passing offers the opportunity for more yards.
When would a team decide to "go for it" on fourth down instead of punting?
Two reasons: When a team is losing late in the game and cannot afford to give the ball to the other team (otherwise risk losing the game), they will have no choice but to go for it. Secondly, when a team has a very small amount of yardage to go before reaching a first down (typically a yard or less), they may choose to try and pick up that yard instead of giving the ball over to the other team.
When and why would an offense try and "stretch" (throw long on) a defense?
Throwing deep is the quickest way for an offense to move the ball a long distance. If the pass is completed, the offense, in one play, may have put themselves close enough to their goal line to at least kick a field goal, if not score a touchdown. Sometimes a team may throw deep just to show the defense that they're willing to do it. This may make the defense play a bit softer, or farther back from the line of scrimmage, allowing more room on the line of scrimmage for successful running plays.
When and why does a defensive team go into a "prevent" defense?
A prevent defense consists of multiple defensive backs (including nickel and dime backs) who begin the play a long distance away from the line of scrimmage. This gives the offense a lot of room to run the ball and throw short passes but it "prevents" the offense from the throwing the ball deep. If the defensive team is leading late in the game and they know the only way the offense can win is by scoring fast on a deep pass, they'll line up in a prevent defense to take that option away from the offense.
When do defenses "stack" the line of scrimmage?
The defense stacks the line of scrimmage when there is a high probability that the offensive team is going to run the ball. By putting more players closer to the point where the ball is snapped, the defense has a better chance at tackling the running back quickly and stopping his effort to move the ball downfield.
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