Football Trench Warfare

September 24, 2015

I wouldn't say I like to use war terminology, but the physical skirmishes at the front line in the National Football League are battles. Now that three hundred- and thirty-pound athletes are the norm on NFL offensive lines and the average defensive lineman weighs closer to 290, giant mounds of muscle and flesh are pounding it out every down. When the two sides collide on any play, the fighting for balance and positioning is studying physics and cause and effect.

The offensive line moves in unison to open the smallest of daylight in between arms and torsos of the defensive players so their running back can run through for a couple of yards. When the opening is created, it is now up to the back to maneuver through. The doorway may last only one or two seconds when the offensive linemen can get leverage and forward momentum on their opponent. When there is a pass play, the offensive lineman's weight is more on the back of their heels, and they stand more upright to create a wall. The defensive line players use power and force with 34" arms and hands as cantilevers and battering rams to push through the barricade.

This is the essence of all football at any level, but in the pro ranks, the might, agility, and stamina is unbelievable. The power is a result of yearlong strength and speed training. Coaches drill the players to work in unison with the other lineman to create the bond that will make the blockade. The plan is to look for the weakest link to exploit and capitalize with physical dominance on the defensive side.

The results of the sixty-minute scrum at the lines are the scores and the toll these players endure. When a multitude of large men are piling up and landing on each other, one can't imagine what this feels like. One wrong turn of your body, one late pile on by another player, a loose ball, a slip-on wet grass, are just some of the dangers of the job. The offensive lineman is most susceptible to leg and knee problems, and the defensive endures back arm and shoulder injuries.

Linemen who can play a few seasons become savvier and use more experience than sheer brute force to gain an advantage. A lineman who last five years in the NFL is the exception, players that have, are beating the curse of a significant injury. Most love the sport, the camaraderie and are paid an excellent salary to endure the physical toll. Next time you are watching a game, focus on the line for plays and how one side tries to gain an advantage. Sometimes it’s more scheming and coaching, but the players make the difference when it comes down to the outcome. The stronger and faster athletes will outlast their opponent, but that dominance is not a large one, like the age-old cliché. It is a game of inches.