The job of a football team's defensive corps is simple yet complex: Stop the offense from scoring points and get your team's offense back on the field as quickly as possible so they can score points and win the game.
The defense is made up of 11 players, as is the offense. No more than 11 players from each team can be on the field at one time, and if there are more a penalty will be called on the offending team.
The defensive line - composed of defensive tackles and ends - is the first layer of defense.
The defensive tackles and ends line up across from the offensive line, with the linebackers just behind them. The number of ends, tackles, and linebackers depends on what defensive scheme is being utilized. A nose tackle may also be employed in some defensive schemes.
Defensive line players are some of the biggest players on the team. Their job is to keep the offensive line from blocking and keep the quarterback from making plays, sacking him if necessary.
The cornerbacks and safeties compose what is referred to as the "secondary."
Cornerbacks flank the defensive line, lining up slightly behind them, toward the sidelines and opposite the offense's wide receivers. Cornerbacks can be freaks of nature, as they are usually big and fast. In the nickel and dime defensive schemes, extra cornerbacks are used between the left and right cornerbacks and in front of the safeties.
The safeties line up about 10 yards back from the defensive line. They are the last bastion of defense against marauding offensive players. The free safety is the absolute last defense; his job is to stop anyone trying to score, kind of like a hockey goalie but with less padding and permission to tackle what's coming at him.
Some of the most exciting moments in a football game come when a defensive player suddenly turns his game into offense. An interception, also known as a pick, is made when a ball intended for an offensive receiver winds up in the hands of a defensive player. The defensive player can then advance the ball toward the offensive team's end zone, scoring a touchdown if he is able to take the ball all the way to the end zone. Because of their proximity to the wide receivers, cornerbacks are probably the most likely to make interceptions, but any defensive player can change the course of the game in a heartbeat by intercepting the ball.
If the quarterback is sitting on the bench a lot, he's not out there scoring points. That means the other team's defense is doing its job well. This is why football fans and coaches say that defense wins games.
Michele Hriciso - I have big news - as of March 4, 2008, I have temporary custody of my cousin Christopher. He's a good napper, so I should have some time ...
