Chosen Excerpts From:

Section 5: How the Game is Played – At the Line: Set-Up for a Play

Section 6: Scoring – Touchdown

Section 12: Formations and Plays – Defensive Formations

  • 4-3 protection
  • 3-4 protection
  • Nickle or Dime protection
  • Objective Line protection

Too:
Look at the Table of Contents for a section by-part portrayal.

Emphasized words can be found in the book’s Glossary and are connected to our on-line glossary reference.

 

Portion From “Football Made Simple”:
Section 6: Scoring
figure 13TOUCHDOWN (6 points)
The most elevated scoring play football happens when a group has a live ball in its rival’s end zone. This is the definitive accomplishment of any offensive drive. A touchdown can be scored in one of 3 ways:

In the primary situation where a player is simply entering the end zone, it is a touchdown when any piece of the ball traverses any piece of a nonexistent divider (called a plane) expanding straight up from the goal line. (See Figure 13) Immediately following a touchdown, the group that scored is given the chance to acquire additional points.

 

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Portion From “Football Made Simple”:
Section 5: How the Game is Played
figure 7AT THE LINE: SET-UP FOR A PLAY
Prior to a play can begin, players from each group must face each other from contradicting sides of the football. There are two fanciful lines of scrimmage, one for each group isolated by the length of the football, which neither one of the teams can cross preceding the begin of a play. A few players position themselves at stake (inside 1 yard of it), while other play additionally in a zone called the backfield. The locale where the ball is situated, between the hostile and protective lines, is known as the neutral zone. (See Figure 7) Generally, the zone that incorporates the two lines and the nonpartisan zone is alluded to as the line of scrimmage or the line. An offense must place no less than 7 players on hold for each play or it is liable to a punishment. All line players must be set (not moving by any stretch of the imagination) for no less than one moment when a play starts with the snap. The most widely recognized position is the 3-point position, where a player inclines forward and puts one hand on the ground, setting himself up to charge forward at the snap.

 

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Excerpt From “Football Made Simple”:
Chapter 12: Formations and Plays
DEFENSIVE FORMATIONS
Different defensive formations prepare a team to stop various offensive plays. The two basic formations are the 4-3 defense and the 3-4 defense, and a team usually chooses one of these and sticks with it for the entire game. The other formations are used during the game in more specialized situations. The following is a list of some of the most commonly-used defensive formations:

4-3 defense4-3 Defense — 4 defensive linemen on the line with 3 linebackers behind them; the other 4 players are defensive backs. More NFL teams use this formation today than any other. The 4-3 defends well against running plays and makes for a strong pass rush because it places 4 men on the line. However, having only 3 linebackers reduces the defense’s ability to cover receivers on passing plays.
3-4 defense3-4 Defense — 3 defensive linemen on the line with 4 linebackers behind them; the other 4 players are defensive backs. The 4 linebackers can move forward to stop running plays or drop back to cover receivers on passing plays. This used to be the most commonly-used defensive formation in the 1980s because it is the most flexible, but most of today’s teams prefer the extra pressure a fourth lineman places on the quarterback in the 4-3.
nickel defenseNickel or Dime Defense — A nickel defense is any formation where a 5th defensive back, called the nickel back, replaces a linebacker on the field. A dime defense is where two nickel backs, the 5th and 6th defensive backs, replace linebackers. A defense brings in these extra defensive backs to increase its pass coverage when it is likely that the opponent will call a passing play such as on third-and-long. However, these formations take defenders away from the front line, making the defense more vulnerable to running plays.
goal line defenseGoal Line Defense — A defense with its back against its own goal line places 6 or more players on the line to prevent the offense from running the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The lack of defenders in the defensive backfield leaves the defense vulnerable to passing plays.

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