What is a Pass Rush in Football?

football rush

In football, a pass rush is the defensive team’s attempt to get players to the quarterback and disrupt a pass attempt. It involves a combination of techniques and scheme that all work together to allow the defense to be successful. A good pass rush will force the opposing offensive lineman to be out of position, which allows the defenders to get to the quarterback more easily.

A good pass rush will start with how the defenders line up in front of the offensive lineman. Ideally, they will line up in the correct gap to be effective. From there, the pass rushers will need to make sure they are rushing at the proper angle. The best way to do this is by using a combination of hands, arm placement, and body leverage. The goal is to get the blocker off-balanced, which will prevent him from recovering with any type of power.

The most common way to rush the quarterback in football is through a blitz. A blitz usually involves at least one linebacker, often the Will or Sam linebackers, but sometimes other players, such as a cornerback, can also help with the rush. The idea is to take away the quarterback’s time and distract him enough so he cannot deliver the ball to his receivers effectively.

Blitzing the quarterback is a risky endeavor, as it forces the defensive team to sacrifice some of its coverage defenders in order to proactively rush the player. This is why many teams only blitz on certain plays, such as when they are close to the end zone or first down.

When the defenders are able to successfully rush the quarterback, it can lead to big turnovers for their team. Whether the turnover is an interception, fumble, or touchdown, it can greatly help a team’s chances of winning a game.

For example, the fumble by the Philadelphia Eagles’ Carson Wentz in the Super Bowl allowed the New York Giants to score a touchdown and win the game. A strong pass rush can also help a team secure an early lead in the game and prevent its opponent from scoring a touchdown.

For a team to be successful in the modern NFL, it needs to have both a solid rushing offense and a great pass rush. Historically, the best teams in the league have had the highest levels of both. For example, the 2007 New York Jets and 2015 Baltimore Ravens had the top rushing offenses in the league and were also the best pass rushing teams. These two factors played a major role in both of these teams’ championship runs. Similarly, the 2016 Dallas Cowboys were the best passing team in the NFL and also had a top-ranked rush defense.