Blitz (gridiron football): Difference between revisions

On passing plays, the offense always has at least five people blocking. From the quarterback's left to right, they are the left tackle, left guard, center, right guard, right tackle. The quarterback will throw the pass, and is not an available blocker. Any other player is available to block, or to be a target for a pass, depending on the play design and modification by the quarterback and center based on what they see the defense doing.

[[File:US Navy 071201-N-6463B-543 Navy Quarter Back Troy Gross (14) gets sacked by a blitzing Army defender at the 108th annual Army vs. Navy football game at M^T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD.jpg|thumb|A blitzing defender sacks a QB]]

 

By nature, blitzes are risky endeavors for the defense. Since the defense is taking away coverage defenders to rush the quarterback, this usually means that the [[defensive back|secondary]] can not afford to miss any coverage assignments. The defense does not and cannot cover all offensive players, but rather through the blitz, is proactively involved in pressuring the quarterback—specifically, trying to [[quarterback sack|sack]] him, throw off his timing, or force him to make an error such as an [[interception]] or [[fumble]].