The defensive alignments of football teams varies from game to game, based on their opponent's tendencies. There are a plethora of different schemes to use, each one based specifically on defending a certain type of play.

When a team is expecting a passing play, such as in a 3rd down and long situation, the defense will usually line up in a nickel or dime defense, which ultimately means having either 5 or 6 corner-backs and safeties lined up, ready to occupy the passing lanes and eliminate the threat of a 1st down.

When playing against teams that tend to run more often than not, or in running situations, such as when needing only 1 yard, defenses will line up with perhaps a 7 man front, all surging forward to fill in any gaps and create a loss of yards.

Defenses either line up with a 3 linemen, 4 linebackers, and 4 corners and safeties, or they go with 4 linemen and 3 linebackers to go along with the 4 corners and safeties.

In passing downs, sometimes the defense will line up as if to play in a nickel or dime defense, or perhaps even a prevent defense, but then will quickly send in 1 or more or the corners or linebackers on a blitz. The blitz leaves the defense vulnerable if the quarterback reads it quickly enough and is able to dump off the ball into the vacated premise.

With so many situations, defenses always have to adjust and line up according to the down and the yardage required by the offense. Defenses also have to be on the lookout for trick plays, play action passing and screens. During screens, the linemen have to be cognizant of the fact that they are being duped, and then expose the subterfuge for what it is and attack the ball with a reckless abandon.

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