Find all the articles from our American football FAQ on this link. Today the defensive blitz.
The Defensive Blitz
This is a defensive tactic that involves overwhelming the offensive line with an excess of numbers. To protect the quarterback, there are five men on the offensive line. Often, a tight end reinforces this protection.
So blitzing involves deploying six or seven defensive players to put pressure on the quarterback. In addition to the defensive linemen, these are linebackers and/or defensive backs who ignore their usual markings to sprint towards the ball carrier.
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Strengths and weaknesses of this tactic
Because there are more attackers than defenders, the quarterback is forced to throw very quickly. He does not have time to identify an open receiver, so he most often voluntarily throws the ball into touch or on the ground, thus losing an attempt. If he does not do so, it most often leads to a loss of ground following his grounding (sack).
This tactic is very effective against young quarterbacks. The defensive blitz is riskier against more experienced quarterbacks! If the passer spots the defensive tactic, he can then throw behind the backs of defenders who have left their coverage zones.
The blitz is mostly used to put pressure on the quarterback, but this tactic is also sometimes used against a runner.
Its use in the NFL
Coordinator Brian Flores is a fan of the defensive blitz. His Minnesota Vikings defense used it on more than half of the 2023 defensive plays! Conversely, some coaches prefer not to expose their coverage and only let the defensive linemen attack the pocket. That's what Robert Saleh prefers with his New York Jets defense: using the blitz on only 16.3% of the 2023 defensive plays.
