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The game of football can be quite complex to the novice viewer. Different teams employ different strategies and implement a mixture of basic defensive plays with intricately detailed plays. What the amateur viewer needs to know about the defensive end of the ball is somewhat simple. The most basic defensive football plays involve a straight rush from the defensive linemen, and a simple zone coverage from the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties. This means that the line pushes to try to get to the quarterback, and the others fall back into a set area to try and prevent a completed pass by the offense.

Since offenses tend to employ a wide array of plays designed to fool defenses, the defenses have tried to do the same, showing a certain defense, but secretly disguising a different one. 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. The defense usually plays on hunches, depending on the line-up of the offense. In certain situations, teams are far more likely to run or pass depending on the scenario.

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 pass being completed for a first down or touchdown.

When playing against teams that tend to run more often than not, or in running situations, such as when needing only 1 or 2 yards, defenses will line up with perhaps a 7 man front, all surging forward to fill in any gaps and create a loss of yards. By leaving only 4 defenders to guard against the pass, if the rush does not get to the quarterback or running back, there will be some open receivers for the offense.

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. These are typical defenses in basic strategy. The middle of the field is usually patrolled rather heavily, luring offenses to try and take the ball east and west rather than north and south.

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 premises. A blitz can be quite effective if the offense doesn't read it fast enough, with a defender able to sack the quarterback, or at least to get a good solid hit on him.

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. Watching football doesn't alwasy require that you understand what strategies or basic defensive plays are being used, but if you watch both teams while they line up before they hut the ball, you will soon learn what types of plays are probably going to be run. With a brief understanding of the basic defensive plays of football, the game can become a lot more interesting to watch and understand.

Learn more about this author, Bobby Coles.
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