Football 101 for Fun ~ Defense

Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

I thought I would write this to help Manursky in is new position at Indy.  Of course, if it doesn’t help him, maybe some of you watching the Super Bowl will know who is lining up where.  This weeks 101 is about Defense.  Defense is believed by some to be the most important side of the football game.  As in, the best offense is a good defense.  Here are how the defensive positions stack up.Defensive EndA defensive player who lines up at the end of the defensive line. The job of the defensive end is to contain the running back on running plays to the outside, and rush the quarterback on passing plays.

Defensive TackleA defensive player who lines up on the inside of the defensive line. The job of a defensive tackle includes stopping the running back on running plays, getting pressure up the middle on passing plays, and occupying blockers so the linebackers can roam free.

Nose TackleA defensive tackle who lines up directly across from the center (AKA nose guard).  The primary responsibilities of the nose tackle are to stop the run and occupy the offensive lineman to keep them from blocking the linebackers.

LinebackerA defensive player who lines up behind the defensive linemen and in front of the defensive backfield. The linebackers are a team’s second line of defense. Each team has two outside linebackers. In a 4-3 defense, teams have one inside linebacker, usually referred to as a middle linebacker. In a 3-4 defense teams have two inside linebackers.

CornerbackA defensive back who generally lines up on the outside of the formation and is usually assigned to cover a wide receiver.

SafetyA defensive back who lines up in the secondary between, but generally deeper than the cornerbacks. His primary duties include helping the cornerbacks in pass coverage. There are actually two safety positions; the free safety and strong safety.

I can’t wait for the Chargers to play the Colts again and see how our new defensive coordinator stacks up against what Manusky can put together there.  I suspect it will be more of the same dog food he served up here.

ChargerGirl Cindi