Eight in the box defense
Encyclopedia
In American football
, an eight-in-the-box defense is a defensive alignment in which 8 of the 11 defensive players are close to the line of scrimmage
.
s is often referred to as "the box". The box is usually about 3-5 yards in depth and spans the offensive line in width. Normally seven players occupy this area but frequently another player is brought into the box for run support against smashmouth
-oriented offensive teams or short yardage situations.
The most common occurrence of eight in the box in the NFL
involves the strong safety
walking down from his position 10-15 yards off the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. From this tightened position he can offer the aforementioned run support as well as jam WR
s and TEs, blitz the QB
, or provide flat coverage. Due to the superior athleticism of NFL players, it is not uncommon for the box safety to even provide deep coverage after the snap, giving the QB a pre-snap Cover 1 read but effectively transitioning into Cover 2 or another shell post snap.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, an eight-in-the-box defense is a defensive alignment in which 8 of the 11 defensive players are close to the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
.
Description
The area occupied by defensive linemen and linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s is often referred to as "the box". The box is usually about 3-5 yards in depth and spans the offensive line in width. Normally seven players occupy this area but frequently another player is brought into the box for run support against smashmouth
Smashmouth offense
In American football, a smashmouth offense is an offensive system that relies on a strong running game, where most of the plays run by the offense are handoffs to the fullback or tailback. It is a more traditional style of offense that often results in a higher time of possession by running the...
-oriented offensive teams or short yardage situations.
The most common occurrence of eight in the box in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
involves the strong safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
walking down from his position 10-15 yards off the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. From this tightened position he can offer the aforementioned run support as well as jam WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s and TEs, blitz the QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, or provide flat coverage. Due to the superior athleticism of NFL players, it is not uncommon for the box safety to even provide deep coverage after the snap, giving the QB a pre-snap Cover 1 read but effectively transitioning into Cover 2 or another shell post snap.