Sporting Charts

Zone Defense

What does Zone Defense - football Mean?

A defensive maneuver in football that tries to protect against the pass. This type of defensive maneuver will utilize the linebackers and defensive backs


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Sporting Charts explains Zone Defense - football

With zone defense the linebackers and defensive backs will cover specific areas of the field and try and make it difficult for the offensive quarterback to complete a pass. During a zone defense the linemen can also perform a blitz. If the linemen decide to go for a blitz then the other linemen will expand their zones so as to cover the now vacated zones.  The negative side to performing a blitz during zone defense is that it leaves gaps in the pass defense.  Despite the negative of these gaps a defense coordinator may still wish to use a blitz during a zone defense in the hopes of causing the quarterback to make a mistake that benefits the defensive team.  The benefits to the defensive team could be an interception or an incompletion.

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