Real Football talk: how do Line men block?
November 17, 2019 1:26PM
edited December 2019
There are several different ways line men are going to block for a run play.
With all the hoopla out there about line men ‘not doing what they are supposed to do’ and for some reason my line men always doing what I expect them to, I thought I’d add a little insight into one real football and how Madden has brought that to the screen
1. Zone blocking : the line men will take three half steps in the direction of the play and then block the first person in their gap, even if that person followed them into the gap or if the D linemen in front of them slanted opposite their slide they will not block them they will block the first man in their gap after their slide. It is crucial you understand double teams and ID’s. __I have responded on how to ID properly in a post titled “Linemen blocking” ___ line men in zone schemes can end up on a double team, and if they do not know which one needs to break off to the linebacker at the second level well then neither will you and you’ll run into an unblocked linebacker or free linemen. Linemen know who they are responsible for in each front but not the running back, and not you the QB. If you tell them, then the double team will break off properly
** i will discuss how to read outside zone plays and inside zone plays in a new discussion**
2. Power blocking : the line men will all block down, opposite the direction of the play. Then you will get a pulling linemen in the direction of the play. You will want to double team the hand down EMOS (end man on scrimmage with his hand on the ground) then ID the outside linebacker (in any front) because the puller and your tackle will double team at the end of scrimmage and you want to bounce to the ‘outside’ of this double team.
**the one exception is the counter play where you get two pullers and you want to bounce to the inside of your pull blockers. Double team the hand down EMOS and and ID the Jack (left of screen Middle backer) never run a counter play to the outside unless you double team the nose tackle and ID the play side OLB. Only do this in alternation. The counter is mean to go inside your pull blockers, the power is mean to go outside your pull blocker. I will discuss reading power runs in a different post, there is much more freedom than zone runs for the TB (tail back) **
3. Duo blocking : this is a lot like power blocking, all your linemen will down block opposite the play, but this time you get no pull blocker. This is intended to get more Double team, hence the term Duo. Look at you linemen and start at the left, imagine them down blocking and see who they all double team together, then ID the Jack or the mike depending on your read of those double teams. Every one will double team and try to break off to a line backer, very annoying for the defensive front 7. Duo blocking is present in misdirection and labeled Duo plays. Try to imagine which linemen will be Most easily angle off to a line backer and go with that gap [re play and read the flow during the snap. Needless to say duo works best VS 3-4 while you will need to ID the un blocked DE vs the 4-3
With all the hoopla out there about line men ‘not doing what they are supposed to do’ and for some reason my line men always doing what I expect them to, I thought I’d add a little insight into one real football and how Madden has brought that to the screen
1. Zone blocking : the line men will take three half steps in the direction of the play and then block the first person in their gap, even if that person followed them into the gap or if the D linemen in front of them slanted opposite their slide they will not block them they will block the first man in their gap after their slide. It is crucial you understand double teams and ID’s. __I have responded on how to ID properly in a post titled “Linemen blocking” ___ line men in zone schemes can end up on a double team, and if they do not know which one needs to break off to the linebacker at the second level well then neither will you and you’ll run into an unblocked linebacker or free linemen. Linemen know who they are responsible for in each front but not the running back, and not you the QB. If you tell them, then the double team will break off properly
** i will discuss how to read outside zone plays and inside zone plays in a new discussion**
2. Power blocking : the line men will all block down, opposite the direction of the play. Then you will get a pulling linemen in the direction of the play. You will want to double team the hand down EMOS (end man on scrimmage with his hand on the ground) then ID the outside linebacker (in any front) because the puller and your tackle will double team at the end of scrimmage and you want to bounce to the ‘outside’ of this double team.
**the one exception is the counter play where you get two pullers and you want to bounce to the inside of your pull blockers. Double team the hand down EMOS and and ID the Jack (left of screen Middle backer) never run a counter play to the outside unless you double team the nose tackle and ID the play side OLB. Only do this in alternation. The counter is mean to go inside your pull blockers, the power is mean to go outside your pull blocker. I will discuss reading power runs in a different post, there is much more freedom than zone runs for the TB (tail back) **
3. Duo blocking : this is a lot like power blocking, all your linemen will down block opposite the play, but this time you get no pull blocker. This is intended to get more Double team, hence the term Duo. Look at you linemen and start at the left, imagine them down blocking and see who they all double team together, then ID the Jack or the mike depending on your read of those double teams. Every one will double team and try to break off to a line backer, very annoying for the defensive front 7. Duo blocking is present in misdirection and labeled Duo plays. Try to imagine which linemen will be Most easily angle off to a line backer and go with that gap [re play and read the flow during the snap. Needless to say duo works best VS 3-4 while you will need to ID the un blocked DE vs the 4-3
Post edited by OhnOiTZdaSniper on
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