One striking aspect of modern football is its emphasis
on defense as well as offense. This trend began after
World War II (1939-1945), when college teams were
allowed free substitution of players—that is, a player
could enter and leave the game an unlimited number of
times, as long as the ball was not in play during the
substitution.
This feature of the game led to the modern
two-platoon system, in which one group of 11 players
enters the game to play offense and a second group
enters to play defense. Such a system has fostered the
development of individual skills and specialization
among players. Defensive football has acquired an
extensive terminology of its own. In some ways defense
is more complicated than offense, because defensive
teams have fewer restrictions on their manner of lining
up.
Generally, however, the defensive formation is
determined by the way the offense lines up. For example,
when defending against opponents who are expected to
throw many forward passes, a team might use a formation
with a four-player line of two ends and two tackles.
Three linebackers would stand directly behind the front
four. In addition, two cornerbacks placed wider and
farther back could defend against mid-range assaults.
Two safeties would position themselves deeper to protect
against longer aerial attacks.
Most of the innovative
thinking by coaches in the NFL during the 1970s came on
defense. Offensive statistics plummeted as defenses
dominated. The newer game demanded speed at every
position, in addition to strength and bulk. Great
linebacker units with catchy names such as Doomsday in
Dallas, Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain, Minnesota's Purple
People Eaters, and the Rams' Fearsome Foursome dominated
offenses. Teams turned the free safety position over to
ferocious hitters such as the Raiders' Jack Tatum and
Dallas' Cliff Harris. Rough, physical cornerbacks such
as Pittsburgh's Mel Blount and Oakland's Willie Brown
employed tight bump-and-run techniques on receivers
downfield. |
