Football Made Simple Excerpts

Excerpts: Selected Text and Figures

Selected Excerpts From:

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

Chapter 6: Scoring - Touchdown

Chapter 12: Formations and Plays - Defensive Formations

4-3 defense

3-4 defense

Nickle or Dime defense

Goal Line defense

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Check out the Table of Contents for a chapter-by-chapter description.

Italicized words can be found in the book's Glossary and are linked to our on-line glossary reference.

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple":
Chapter 6: Scoring

TOUCHDOWN (6 points)
The highest-scoring play in football occurs when a team possesses a live ball in its opponent's end zone. This is the ultimate achievement of any offensive drive. A touchdown can be scored in one of 3 ways:

Player carries the ball across opponent's goal line
Receiver catches pass in opponent's end zone
Player recovers loose ball in opponent's end zone

In the first case where a player is just entering the end zone, it is a touchdown as soon as any part of the ball crosses over any part of an imaginary wall (called a plane) extending straight up from the goal line. (See Figure 13) Immediately following a touchdown, the team that scored is given the opportunity to earn extra points.

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Excerpt From "Football Made Simple":
Chapter 5: How the Game is Played

AT THE LINE: SET-UP FOR A PLAY
Before a play can start, players from each team must face each other from opposing sides of the football. There are two imaginary lines of scrimmage, one for each team separated by the length of the football, which neither team can cross prior to the start of a play. Some players position themselves on the line (within 1 yard of it), while other play further back in an area called the backfield. The region where the ball is located, between the offensive and defensive lines, is called the neutral zone. (See Figure 7) Generally, the area that includes both lines and the neutral zone is referred to as the line of scrimmage or the line.

An offense must place at least 7 players on the line for every play or it is subject to a penalty. All line players must be set (not moving at all) for at least one second when a play begins with the snap. The most common stance is the 3-point stance, where a player leans forward and places one hand on the ground, preparing himself 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 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 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 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 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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Excerpt From "Football Made Simple": Chapter 6: Scoring

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple": Chapter 5: How the Game is Played

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple": Chapter 12: Formations and Plays

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple":
Chapter 6: Scoring

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple":
Chapter 5: How the Game is Played

Excerpt From "Football Made Simple":
Chapter 12: Formations and Plays