111:
bends the knees and waist until the thighs and back are nearly parallel to the ground. The down-hand is merely an anchoring point for offensive linemen; typically, very little weight is put onto it. Offensive linemen may have to move in any direction so it is counterproductive to put weight on their down-hand (this only facilitates forward movement.) However, defensive players usually put more weight on their down-hand to have a more explosive start as they almost always go forward. This gives them the power of their legs coupled with forward momentum for a stronger push.
50:(NFL), the average amount of plays per game is over 60 per team. This means that, in one game, a lineman playing the entire time could enter a stance more than 60 times. However, it is not likely to be the same stance every time. Furthermore, it is important to remember that the offensive team must remain still for one second prior to the ball being snapped. This means that once an offensive player has become set in a stance, he must stay in it until the ball is snapped and the play begins. Additional motion can result in a
38:: two-point, three-point, and four-point. The stance names reference the number of points where a player's body is touching the ground while down in the stance. Each technique has its own strengths and weaknesses; therefore, each one is used accordingly in different situations. Furthermore, stances are taught and used differently depending on the level of competition (little league football, high school football, college football, etc.).
17:
102:. The purpose of this stance is to give the player leverage and allow more of their legs' power to be used. This is the offensive lineman's most used stance. It allows them to easily stay low and move in any direction at the snap of the ball. The interior defensive lineman use this stance for the same reason; however, it is usually slightly adjusted.
119:
The least common variation is the four-point stance. This stance is used for maximum explosion and leverage in one direction (straight ahead of the player). Offensive linemen will typically only use it if they need to force the line forward only inches. Interior defensive linemen will use it to keep
110:
The added "point" is the player's strong hand on the ground (the down-hand). In higher divisions of play, ambidexterity between down-hands is required. A player entering the stance begins in a two-point stance; the player's staggered foot will be on the same side as the down-hand. The player then
83:
The "two-points" on the ground in this stance are just the feet. They are placed shoulder width apart pointing forward. One of the feet is staggered back, for an offensive-lineman this will be the foot away from the ball; for a defensive-lineman it will be the foot towards the ball. While in this
70:
to facilitate better pass blocking because it increases their initial field of vision and gives more reaction time (to stay in front of a rushing player). Consequently, it is usually only used in a situation that will require passing. Some defensive linemen employ this stance to pass rush because
136:
The three-point stance has become a staple in every football game. However, this has drawn attention to the danger it puts players in. The NFL has gained a bad reputation because of the players' long-term and sometimes life-threatening complications brought about by head injuries. The NFL's
84:
stance the player's center of gravity will be slightly lowered by bending at the knees and waist. Weight is kept away from the heels to promote quickness and agility out of the stance in any direction.
128:
The added "point" in this stance is the other arm. It is simply a three-point with the other hand put down. However, the hands in this case are allowed as much of the body's weight as the feet.
248:
141:, has stated the possibility of banning the three-point stance because it makes linemen more likely to initiate head-to-head contact.
241:
66:
The two-point variation is the most upright stance. Another name for the stance is the universal stance. The two-point is used by
437:
54:
penalty. Defensive players, on the other hand, are permitted to shift as much as they want before a play. It is possible for a
58:
to line up in one stance and then change to another just before the play begins. He can even shift his body to another place.
234:
202:
189:
305:
310:
35:
365:
396:
391:
360:
320:
295:
47:
416:
401:
381:
406:
355:
335:
8:
278:
99:
93:
157:
315:
257:
67:
55:
31:
20:
411:
169:
350:
330:
226:
431:
207:
138:
72:
71:
they naturally obtain more quickness and agility out of it (particularly the
345:
340:
51:
34:
player adopts when a play begins. There are three common stances used by
158:
Rankings, Predictions, Picks and Odds for NBA, NCAAB, NFL, NCAAF and MLB
386:
325:
16:
300:
269:
429:
256:
203:"Roger Goodell: Ban on 3-point Stance Possible"
242:
249:
235:
15:
430:
184:
182:
180:
178:
170:Rule Book: Position of Players at Snap
230:
87:
190:"The 3 Stances of Offensive Linemen"
160:, TeamRankings.com, 26 January 2011.
114:
211:. Associated Press. 8 February 2010
195:
175:
163:
151:
61:
13:
14:
449:
98:The most common variation is the
131:
123:
105:
1:
438:American football terminology
144:
78:
7:
172:, NFL.com, 26 January 2011.
41:
10:
454:
120:this push from happening.
91:
374:
288:
265:
48:National Football League
23:in a three-point stance.
24:
19:
30:is the position an
192:, 24 January 2011.
188:Hutchison, Coach.
100:three-point stance
94:Three-point stance
88:Three-point stance
25:
425:
424:
258:Gridiron football
115:Four-point stance
68:offensive linemen
56:defensive lineman
32:American football
21:Donald R. Deskins
445:
402:Shooting the gap
251:
244:
237:
228:
227:
221:
220:
218:
216:
199:
193:
186:
173:
167:
161:
155:
62:Two-point stance
453:
452:
448:
447:
446:
444:
443:
442:
428:
427:
426:
421:
412:Double coverage
370:
284:
261:
255:
225:
224:
214:
212:
201:
200:
196:
187:
176:
168:
164:
156:
152:
147:
134:
126:
117:
108:
96:
90:
81:
64:
44:
12:
11:
5:
451:
441:
440:
423:
422:
420:
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
389:
384:
378:
376:
372:
371:
369:
368:
363:
358:
353:
348:
343:
338:
333:
328:
323:
318:
313:
308:
303:
298:
292:
290:
286:
285:
283:
282:
272:
266:
263:
262:
254:
253:
246:
239:
231:
223:
222:
194:
174:
162:
149:
148:
146:
143:
137:commissioner,
133:
130:
125:
122:
116:
113:
107:
104:
92:Main article:
89:
86:
80:
77:
73:defensive ends
63:
60:
43:
40:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
450:
439:
436:
435:
433:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
388:
385:
383:
380:
379:
377:
373:
367:
364:
362:
359:
357:
354:
352:
349:
347:
344:
342:
339:
337:
334:
332:
329:
327:
324:
322:
319:
317:
314:
312:
309:
307:
304:
302:
299:
297:
294:
293:
291:
287:
280:
276:
273:
271:
268:
267:
264:
259:
252:
247:
245:
240:
238:
233:
232:
229:
210:
209:
208:Boston Herald
204:
198:
191:
185:
183:
181:
179:
171:
166:
159:
154:
150:
142:
140:
139:Roger Goodell
132:Proposed bans
129:
121:
112:
103:
101:
95:
85:
76:
74:
69:
59:
57:
53:
49:
39:
37:
33:
29:
22:
18:
407:Bump and run
346:Lateral pass
341:Forward pass
274:
213:. Retrieved
206:
197:
165:
153:
135:
127:
118:
109:
97:
82:
65:
45:
27:
26:
279:three-point
52:false start
215:24 January
145:References
351:Stiff arm
326:Pump fake
260:maneuvers
124:Technique
106:Technique
79:Technique
432:Category
356:Scramble
306:Blocking
301:Hand-off
42:Overview
375:Defense
331:Cutback
311:Pulling
289:Offense
46:In the
36:linemen
382:Tackle
366:Motion
321:Routes
316:Spiral
275:Stance
270:Huddle
28:Stance
397:Blitz
392:Stunt
361:Shift
387:Rush
336:Juke
296:Snap
217:2011
417:Spy
75:).
434::
205:.
177:^
281:)
277:(
250:e
243:t
236:v
219:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.