 Strategies for Scoring
The tactical goal of any offense in football is to score
points. The offense wants to score touchdowns and if they can’t
do that then they want to kick a field goal. To move the ball down
the field into scoring position the offense can either run the ball
or pass the ball. More often than not a combination of running and
passing that works best.
Running Teams and Passing Teams
Obviously the best offenses will be effective when running or
passing the ball, but usually an offense will be better at either
running or throwing the ball.
Sometimes a team has an offensive line that dominates the line of
scrimmage and is great at run blocking. Strategically, this team
will then be better at running the ball. Other times the offense
might be better at running because they have one or two great
running backs.
On the other hand, an offense may be better at passing because
they have a great quarterback or great wide receivers or both. An
offense knows which they do better, and they make sure that they
play to their own strategic strengths.
Studying Films
An offence always goes into a game with a game plan – a way they
want to attack the opposing defense. They come up with the game plan
by studying film of the opposing defenses. This film will show the
offense what the defense does and doesn’t do well. Then the offense
considers what they do and don’t do well and they begin to come-up
with plays and plans that they think will work against the defense.
Even if a team is a great running team and just an ordinary
passing team, they may decide to throw the ball a lot more for one
game because they see a weakness on the defense that they think they
can take advantage of. The reverse is true as well. The team may be
a great passing team but elect to run the ball more against a
defense that seems to be weak against the run.
Calling Plays - The Offensive Coordinator and the Head Coach
Once in the game, usually the Offensive Coordinator or the Head
Coach will be responsible for calling the plays. Some teams like to
script their first 10 or 20 plays. This means that they know the
exact plays they will run before the game even starts. Other teams
call plays based on what they see and what type of situation the
offense is in.
The plays are called and given to the quarterback through a
headset that is built into his helmet. Many times a number will be
given to him. The quarterback will then look on a wristband that has
the numbers and the play that corresponds to it. This method is
preferred because the coaches only have a short amount of time to
communicate the play and then the headset is automatically turned
off.
There are many different types of running and passing plays that
can be called. Once again, the exact type of play that will be
called depends on the defense that is being played. For example, if
a defense has slow linebackers, the offense may elect to throw the
ball more to the tight ends and running backs because these are the
players the linebackers will be trying to cover.
Protecting the Quarterback
One major worry of any offense is protecting the quarterback. If
a defense has a great pass rush, the offense may elect to keep more
blockers in to block instead of going out for a pass. Also, offenses
may be forced to game plane around one specific player if that
player is a great pass rusher. The offense may decide to always
line-up a tight end on the same side as that player so that the
offensive linemen always have help blocking the one great player.
Offenses also game plan for other positions – they may never
throw toward a great defensive back and they may decide to run more
to one side of the field to stay away from a great linebacker.
There are numerous factors that must be considered by an offense.
However, the bottom line is that the offense wants to move the ball
and score points. Some offenses like to do this by putting together
longer drives that will tire out the defense. Other offenses love to
throw the ball all around the field and score as fast as possible.
It all depends on the players and the preferences of the coaches and
coordinators. Other Football Reading
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