Rush (gridiron Football) - Defense

Defense

On defense, rushing means charging across the line of scrimmage towards the quarterback or kicker. The purpose is tackling, hurrying or flushing the quarterback, or blocking or disrupting a kick. In both college and professional football, getting a strong pass rush is an important skill, as an average quarterback will often be able to be productive, even against a strong secondary, if he has lots of time to pass the ball. Teams will improve their pass rush by blitzing, which sends additional men at the quarterback. The rules on tackling a quarterback are fairly protective, and very protective in regards of the kicker. This has resulted in most teams sending few men at the kicker, as the risk of drawing a penalty is too great to justify the low chance of blocking a kick.


Gridiron football concepts
Codes
  • American
  • Canadian (US–Canadian comparison)
  • Arena
  • Indoor
  • 9-man
  • 8-man
  • 6-man
  • Flag
  • Touch
  • Street/Backyard
Levels of play
  • High school
  • College
  • Sprint
  • Women's
  • Professional
Field
  • End zone
  • Goal line
  • Red zone
  • Line of scrimmage
  • Neutral zone
  • Field goal range
  • Out of bounds
  • Sidelines
Equipment
  • Football (ball)
  • Helmet
  • Shoulder pads
  • Uniform number
Positions
Offense
  • Quarterback
  • Running backs (Halfback, Fullback, H-back)
  • Receivers (Wide receiver, Tight end, Slotback)
  • Linemen (Center, Guard, Tackle)
Defense
  • Linemen (Defensive tackle, Defensive end, Nose tackle)
  • Linebacker
  • Defensive back (Cornerback, Safety, Nickelback, Dimeback, Halfback)
Special teams
  • Placekicker
  • Punter
  • Kickoff specialist
  • Long snapper
  • Holder
  • Punt returner
  • Kickoff returner
  • Return specialist
  • Gunner
Other
  • Utility player
  • Triple-threat man
  • Skill position
  • Game manager
Play types
Offense
  • Rush
  • Pass
  • Incomplete pass
  • Lateral
  • Bootleg play
  • Draw play
  • End-around
  • Flea flicker
  • Flexbone formation
  • Fourth down conversion
  • Hail Mary pass
  • Halfback option play
  • Hook and lateral
  • Kneel
  • Motion
  • Hurry-up offense
  • Option run
  • Option offense
  • Play-action pass
  • Quarterback keeper
  • Quarterback sneak
  • Quick kick
  • Reverse
  • Scramble
  • Screen pass
  • Spike
  • Statue of Liberty
  • Sweep
  • Tackle-eligible
  • Trick play
  • Wildcat formation
Defense
  • Tackle
  • Blitz
  • Rush
  • Sack
  • Shooting the gap
  • Stunt
  • Zone blitz
Special teams
  • Kickoff
  • Kickoff return
  • Punt
  • Punt return
  • Drop kick
  • Fair catch
  • Fair catch kick
  • Icing the kicker
  • Onside kick
  • Squib kick
  • Conversion
Scoring
  • Touchdown
  • Point after touchdown
  • Two-point conversion
  • Field goal
  • Safety
  • Single (rouge)
Penalties
  • Blocking below the waist
  • Block in the back
  • Chop block
  • Clipping
  • Delay of game
  • Encroachment
  • Equipment violations
  • Face mask
  • False start
  • Helmet-to-helmet collision
  • Horse-collar tackle
  • Illegal contact
  • Illegal formation
  • Illegal forward kick
  • Illegal forward pass
  • Illegal hands to the face
  • Illegal motion
  • Illegal participation
  • Illegal shift
  • Illegal substitution
  • Illegal touching
  • Illegal touching of a free kick
  • Illegal use of hands
  • Ineligible receiver downfield
  • Intentional grounding
  • Holding
  • Leaping
  • Neutral zone infraction
  • Offside
  • Palpably unfair act
  • Pass interference
  • Personal foul
  • Roughing the kicker
  • Roughing the passer
  • Roughing the snapper
  • Sideline infraction
  • Spearing
  • Time count
  • Tripping
  • Unsportsmanlike conduct
Turnovers
  • Fumble
  • Interception
  • Muffed punt
  • Turnover on downs
Downs
  • First down
  • Three-and-out
  • Fourth down conversion
Play clock
  • Timeout
  • One-minute warning
  • Two-minute warning
  • Three-minute warning
  • Running out the clock
  • Untimed play
  • Garbage time
Statistics
  • Carry
  • Rushing yards
  • Passing yards
  • Passer rating
  • Reception
  • Receiving yards
  • Return yards
  • Total offense
  • Yards from scrimmage
  • All-purpose yardage
  • Touchdown pass
Celebrations
  • Touchdown celebration
  • Gatorade shower
Officiating
  • Officials
  • Penalty flag
  • Chain crew
Miscellaneous
  • Snap
  • Dead ball
  • Touchback
  • Instant replay
  • Coffin corner
  • Resting the starters
  • Glossary of American football
  • Glossary of Canadian football
  • Rules
  • Rules in American football
  • California playoff
  • Concussions in American football

Read more about this topic:  Rush (gridiron Football)

Famous quotes containing the word defense:

    “Our reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, every where.”
    —Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)

    “For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of sight.”
    —Aeschylus (525–456 B.C.)

    “There’s no telling what might have happened to our defense budget if Saddam Hussein hadn’t invaded Kuwait that August and set everyone gearing up for World War II½. Can we count on Saddam Hussein to come along every year and resolve our defense-policy debates? Given the history of the Middle East, it’s possible.”
    —P.J. (Patrick Jake)