How to Play Flag Football Defense

Flag football is an exciting game played by a lot of athletes who want to play the game they love but are not interested in the hitting of tackle football. It is typically played by high school and college athletes who play intramural sports. Playing defense is all about putting yourself in the right position to succeed.

Instructions

1. Rush the quarterback with at least one man. Flag football teams typically play with seven players per side and there are no rules that prevent offensive linemen from serving as eligible receivers. Every defensive player gets an offensive player to cover. A player is on the quarterback and he will attempt to rush the passer and pull his flag. If the offense keeps a lineman in to block, that opponent will also rush the passer.

2. Push your opponent to the outside of the ball. Your goal is to stop the play by pulling his flag or getting him to go out of bounds. It can be tricky to pull one of two flags that is tucked in at the waist. It is often times easier to push him out of bounds.

3. Give your opponent room when throwing a sideline pass. You want to invite this pass because if you see it coming, you can cut off this pass route and possibly intercept the pass. A sideline pass that gets intercepted can be taken for a long distance because there are no opponents situated down the sideline.

4. Grab your opponent around the waist and then reach for the flag. Attempting to swipe the flag in one motion without holding up your opponent is difficult. By holding on and slowing him up, you can find the flag much easier.

5. Keep your head up and your eyes on the quarterback. You may be covering one of the wide receivers, but if you don't sneak a peak at the quarterback you don't know what the play will be.

Tips & Warnings

• Warm up thoroughly before the game. While there should not be much hitting, you can easily pull a muscle if you are not warmed up sufficiently.