American football strategy

Drives, or offensive scoring chances, come to an end when the team fails to move the ball 10 yards or turns it over via fumble or interception.

While position names and abbreviations may differ between team playbooks, the following are among the most commonly recognized: (These are understood to be players on the line other than the ends, also referred to as "interior linemen."

Teams often employ "special formations" for specific scenarios, such as obvious passing situations, short yardage, or goal-line plays.

A running play occurs when the quarterback hands the ball to another player, who then attempts to carry it past the line of scrimmage to gain yards.

In both scenarios, the offensive line's primary job is to run block, preventing defensive players from tackling the ball carrier.

The choice of running play depends on the offensive team’s strengths, the defensive weaknesses, and the distance required to score a touchdown or gain a first down.

Even if a team does not need to gain a large number of yards, relying solely on running plays could make the offense predictable.

Using a combination of passing and running plays, the offense aims to gain the yards needed for a first down, touchdown, or field goal.

In the NFL, three basic systems predominate:[3] The goal of defensive strategy is to prevent the opposing offense from gaining yards and scoring points.

Most of the time, defensive linemen attack the offensive line, but in some plays, they drop back into pass coverage to confuse the opposing team.

Depending on the defensive strategy being used, a linebacker’s responsibilities can include helping to stop the run, rushing the quarterback, or dropping back in pass protection.

For example, in Super Bowl XXV, the New York Giants used a formation with two down linemen, four linebackers, and five defensive backs, a strategy that prevented their opponents, the Buffalo Bills, from completing long passes.

There are two general schemes for defending against the pass: There are times when a defense believes that the best way to stop the offense is to rush the quarterback.

This involves sending five or more players charging at the line of scrimmage in an attempt to tackle the quarterback before he can throw the ball or hand it off.

Any player on the defense is allowed to rush the quarterback, and many schemes have been developed over the years that involve complicated or unusual blitz "packages".

A variety of strategic plays can be attempted during kickoffs, punts, and field goals to surprise the opposition and score points, gain yardage or first downs, or recover possession of the kicked ball.

A kickoff occurs at the beginning of each half, overtime period (not in college), and following each touchdown, successful field goal, or safety.

This strategy has been implemented at Pulaski Academy, a top-ranked prep school,[10] and has been advocated by Gregg Easterbrook in his Tuesday Morning Quarterback column and author Jon Wertheim.

If the ball appears to be rolling or bouncing into the end zone, a player may run in front of the goal line to attempt to bat it down or catch it.