How to Enjoy Watching Line Play in the NFL

Even for dedicated NFL fans, watching the offensive and defensive linemen can be a bit like watching an auto accident—lots of action, large moving objects scattered in a variety of directions, but confusing and without any apparent order. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each of the massive athletes that play these positions has an assigned task, different on every play. In fact, watching the way offensive linemen move is one way to anticipate how a play will unfold.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Learn the names of the positions. On the offensive side, the player who centers the ball to the quarterback is called—the CENTER. So far so good. The players on either side of the center are called the GUARDS. There is a right guard and a left guard. The players who line up outside the guards are called the TACKLES. There is a right tackle and a left tackle. These are the offensive linemen. All the other positions are called "skill positions." Offensive linemen sometimes take offense at this characterization because it implies they are without skills. However, they do not complain. Offensive linemen don't complain, period. Many offensive linemen have a reputation for not talking at all.
2. Identify the defensive linemen. The man who lines up right over the center is called a NOSE TACKLE. The name has nothing to do with any distinguishing physical trait. It is derived from the fact that the nose tackle plays in the middle of the defensive line, just as a nose should be in the middle of a person's face. On either side of the nose tackle are the right and left DEFENSIVE TACKLES. On either side of the defensive tackles are the DEFENSIVE ENDS.
3. Know the purpose of the offensive line. Understand that the job of the offensive linemen is to either make "HOLES" in the defensive line through which a running back may run, or to "PROTECT THE QUARTERBACK" as he attempts to throw a forward pass. The technique used by offensive linemen is different for each of these two tasks. They do RUN BLOCKING for running plays and PASS BLOCKING for passing plays.
4. Know the difference between run blocking and pass blocking. Understand that run blocking requires an offensive lineman to "attack" a defensive player, that is, to move out from his position and attempt to knock down the player or push him aside such that he cannot tackle the running back carrying the football. Pass blocking is basically a matter of an offensive lineman keeping his body between the defensive player, usually a defensive lineman, and the quarterback. This is a much more passive form of blocking.
5. Know the job of the defensive lineman. Realize that defensive linemen must defend against both the run and the pass. They cannot be too aggressive rushing across the line of scrimmage because that allows a running back to slip by them. However, in the case of a pass, usually their primary responsibility is to RUSH THE QUARTERBACK, to aggressively cross the line of scrimmage and attempt to tackle the quarterback before he can throw a pass. When this happens, the defensive lineman is credited with a QUARTERBACK SACK.
6. Imagine a typical play. The center snaps the ball to the quarterback. The center is an excellent player to watch because he begins the play and will often "KEY" what the play will be. If he begins to backpedal as in pass blocking, it would appear to be a passing play. If on the other hand, he moves across the line of scrimmage as in run blocking, the play may very well be a run. The blocking technique for the guards and tackles are similar—basically either pass or run blocking.
7. Imagine that same play. When the center snaps the ball to the quarterback, the defensive linemen must first read their KEYS for example, did the center show pass or run after he snapped the ball. If he showed pass then the responsibility of the defensive lineman is to rush the quarterback. If the center showed run, by charging out to throw a running block on a defensive player, the defensive lineman will not be as aggressive about charging because he could simply be pushed aside, creating a hole for the running back.
8. Watch the techniques that each lineman uses to neutralize his direct opposing player. One of the themes of line play is that it is physical, hand to hand combat on every play. Defensive linemen develop moves for which they are known like a POWER RUSH, a SPEED RUSH, a SPIN MOVE or a SWIM MOVE—all of which are designed to use their particular physical skills to either over-power or maneuver around an offensive lineman. For their part, offensive linemen become noted for their speed and strength in fending off these moves as well as their ability to move their massive bodies downfield when blocking for a running back and doing DOWNFIELD BLOCKING.

Tips & Warnings

• As simple as these concepts appear to be, by using them, a novice football fan will be able to understand the bash and smash of line play better than most "veteran fans." Once a fan is capable of distinguishing between pass blocking, run blocking and the different defensive moves, the next step in understanding line play is to study how coaches disguise what's happening during a play by creating false keys such as using run blocking on a pass play. There are a surprising number of variations that can be fashioned for blocking patterns. In the end, however, it usually comes down to one man pitting his strength, skill and willpower against a single adversary in a different colored jersey.