Guard (gridiron football)

Notable guards include Quentin Nelson (Indianapolis Colts), Zach Martin (Dallas Cowboys), and Joe Thuney (Kansas City chiefs).

The guard's job is to protect the quarterback from the incoming linemen during pass plays, as well as creating openings (holes) for the running backs to head through.

Aside from speed blocking, a guard may also "pull", which is when the guard backs out of their initial position and runs behind the other offensive linemen to sprint out in front of a running back to engage a defensive player beyond the initial width of the offensive line.

While tackles can also pull, this strategy is generally less common as they are too far away to pull to the opposite side of the formation for counter plays and have the responsibility of blocking the outside defender (generally the defensive end) for outside runs.

[2] The Packers sweep was a signature play of the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s, and they won five NFL titles and the first two Super Bowls under head coach Vince Lombardi utilizing the play.