AMERICAN FOOTBALL HISTORY
Players
Most football players have highly specialized roles. At the college and NFL levels, most play only offense or only defense.
Offense
- The offensive line consists of five players whose job is to protect the passer and clear the way for runners by blocking members of the defense. Except for the center, offensive linemen generally do not handle the ball.
- The quarterback (QB) receives the ball on most plays. He then hands or tosses it to a running back, throws it to a receiver or runs with it himself.
- Running backs line up behind or beside the QB and specialize in rushing with the ball. They also block, catch passes and, on rare occasions, pass the ball to others.
- Wide receivers line up near the sidelines. They specialize in catching passes.
- Tight ends line up outside the offensive line. They can either play like wide receivers (try to catch passes) or like offensive linemen (protect the QB or create spaces for runners).
Not all of these types of players will be in on every offensive play. Teams can vary the number of wide receivers, tight ends and running backs on the field at one time.
Defense
- The defensive line consists of three to six players who line up across from the offensive line. They try to tackle the running backs before they can gain yardage or the quarterback before he can throw a pass.
- At least three players line up as defensive backs. They cover the receivers and try to stop pass completions. They occasionally rush the quarterback.
- The other players on the defense are known as linebackers. They line up between the defensive line and defensive backs and may either rush the quarterback or cover potential receivers.
Special Teams
The units of players who handle kicking plays are known as special teams. Two important special-teams players are the punter, who handles punts, and the placekicker or kicker, who kicks off and attempts field goals and extra points.
American football - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia