FOOTBALL IN HIGH HEELS: SLIDE AND REACH
When I last posted, I started covering the different blocks in football. Today, I take on five more and try to figure out what they mean—and share what my thoughts were in the beginning.
Man-on-man blocking—What It Means: This is the straight-ahead style of blocking. A defender plays directly over you and you driving straight into him. This usually consists of four linemen, and is common on pass plays. Each offensive lineman chooses the opponent opposite him, and the center helps out either side.
What I Thought It Meant: Two men teamed up and blocked someone from an opposing team.
Reach block—What It Means: This is when the offensive lineman reaches for the next defender, but doesn’t block the opponent directly in front of him. He instead moves for an opponent to either side. This is common on run plays when the play calls for a guard to reach out and block an inside linebacker.
What I Thought It Meant: Blocking by reaching over or up—work out style.
Slide block—What It Means: This is when the entire offensive line slides down the line of scrimmage. It’s a coordinated effort by the line to go either right or left. It’s good to use when the quarterback prefers to roll or sprint right, running outside the tackle while attempting to throw the football.
What I Thought It Meant: Doing some sliding move, such as the Electric or Cha Cha Slide.
Trap block—What It Means: This is when the offensive line deliberately allows a defensive player to cross the line of scrimmage untouched, then blocks him with a guard or tackle from the opposite side. It usually happens when he’s not expecting it. The purpose of this is to create a running lane in the area that the defender vacated.
What I Thought It Meant: Setting a trap, Looney Tunes style. However, after reading the real meaning, I am picturing some sort of COPS style action.
Zone block—What It Means: This is when the lineman protects a specific area or zone. The blocker must stay in his zone because the play or ball may be coming in that direction and it needs to be uncluttered, as per the quarterback’s needs. This is generally designed to key on a specific defensive player who’s disrupting the offensive game plan.
What I Thought It Meant: No clue, but all I can think of was the song Danger Zone from Top Gun.
Join us tomorrow for more Football In High Heels.
