Video: Power Play

Here’s some video on what is probably football’s oldest play:

 

Defending the Power-O

From Barking Carnival

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Like every good base play the Power O is not just a play the offense runs well, it is also a vital diagnostic tool. The offense will be paying close attention to how the defense is keying and defending the Power O.
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More specifically the offense will pay attention to what level of the defense is actually making the stop against the Power play: on the line, at the linebacker level or at the secondary level. This information will help the offense diagnose how to modify their attack to be more successful with the Power and alert them to other areas the defense might be vulnerable to complementing plays.

If we are really going to gain an appreciation for how to complement the Power play, we need to examine what the defense is up to. So let’s take a brief trip to the other side of the ball.

Playside Defenders

The primary pressure on the Power O play is on the end man on the line of scrimmage (usually the defensive end, this player is often abbreviated EMOL) and the two/three other key defenders in the box (usually the Sam and Mike linebackers and possibly the Strong Safety).
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Off-set I vs. a 4-3 Defense

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I am calling these defenders in red “playside defenders” because they are the players that can attack the kick out blocks and leading guard on the power play
rather than being blocked down.  These defenders can respond in a variety of ways but the responses usually fall into two categories.