rules question - 7 men LOS

[tvooz]

must a team have 7 and only 7 men on the offensive line of scrimmage? can a team have 8 men for example on the line?

thnx in advance

 

[Hostile]

The rule reads "at least 7" which means you can have more.

 

[peplaw06]

Just so you know though... the only people lined up on the LOS who are eligible for the pass are the ones on the ends.

That's why you see WRs on the strong side lined up behind the line, so the TE is eligible -- that's if the TE is on the LOS of course..

 

[SweetDC]

Just so you know though... the only people lined up on the LOS who are eligible for the pass are the ones on the ends.

That's why you see WRs on the strong side lined up behind the line, so the TE is eligible -- that's if the TE is on the LOS of course..

Interesting. So when I've seen Barber catch a pass, he would have been lined up on the LOS at the start of the play instead of in the backfield then? If so, then isn't it obvious that it is likely going to be a pass play if Barber is on the LOS.

It never dawned on me that running backs can catch the ball until I saw Barber make that catch in the Philly game. I always thought pass plays were reserved for WR and TE. Is there a limit on how far a QB can throw to a RB or is it as long as the player is on the LOS he is eligible to run down field and catch regardless the distance?

 

[peplaw06]

Interesting. So when I've seen Barber catch a pass, he would have been lined up on the LOS at the start of the play instead of in the backfield then? If so, then isn't it obvious that it is likely going to be a pass play if Barber is on the LOS.

It never dawned on me that running backs can catch the ball until I saw Barber make that catch in the Philly game. I always thought pass plays were reserved for WR and TE. Is there a limit on how far a QB can throw to a RB or is it as long as the player is on the LOS he is eligible to run down field and catch regardless the distance?

Not quite... if you're lined up on the LOS, then you are only eligible if you're on the ends. Otherwise, you'll be eligible for the pass if you're off the LOS. Anyone in the backfield is eligible for a forward pass.

Typically you're ONLY going to see 7 guys on the LOS, because that gives you the maximium amount of offensive players eligible for a forward pass.

WR _____LT|LG|C|RG|RT|TE _______WR

if the LOS looks like this^^^, the TE is not eligible because he's covered up... so the WR on the strong side has to be off the LOS, like.......

WR____ LT|LG|C|RG|RT|TE
___________________________WR

But anyone who is not on the LOS, including those in the backfield, is eligible for the forward pass. That includes the trick plays where say a RB takes the pitch then throws it back to the QB.

 

[fgoodwin]

Back in the day (pre-merger), old-line NFL teams used the terms "split end" and "flanker" to differentiate the WR who lined up on the LOS vs. the WR who lined up in the backfield.

Nowadays, both are called simply "WRs" (a term used in the old AFL before the full NFL adopted it, same with RB vs. HB + FB), but they do in fact have slightly different roles.

 

[Shady12]

I thought they were still called split ends and flankers..But kind of like the way on D you have WDE and SDE's etc. The kind of things that most fans don't pay attention to. I know when I grew up playing football in the 90's I was a flanker..playing the WR position on the side of the TE and was a step off the line.

 

[peplaw06]

Back in the day (pre-merger), old-line NFL teams used the terms "split end" and "flanker" to differentiate the WR who lined up on the LOS vs. the WR who lined up in the backfield.

Nowadays, both are called simply "WRs" (a term used in the old AFL before the full NFL adopted it, same with RB vs. HB + FB), but they do in fact have slightly different roles.

They call the WRs X, Y and Z now don't they? Does a certain letter denote whether the WR is a SE or a Flanker?

 

[SweetDC]

Not quite... if you're lined up on the LOS, then you are only eligible if you're on the ends. Otherwise, you'll be eligible for the pass if you're off the LOS. Anyone in the backfield is eligible for a forward pass.

Typically you're ONLY going to see 7 guys on the LOS, because that gives you the maximium amount of offensive players eligible for a forward pass.

WR _____LT|LG|C|RG|RT|TE _______WR

if the LOS looks like this^^^, the TE is not eligible because he's covered up... so the WR on the strong side has to be off the LOS, like.......

WR____ LT|LG|C|RG|RT|TE
___________________________WR

But anyone who is not on the LOS, including those in the backfield, is eligible for the forward pass. That includes the trick plays where say a RB takes the pitch then throws it back to the QB.

Hey thanks for that explanation. Took a few reads to digest it but I think I've got it now. Now when I see those formations I'll know the difference.

Been watching football since I was 8 but it's only the last couple of years that I've been interested in learning the technical aspects of the game.

 

[Shady12]

They call the WRs X, Y and Z now don't they? Does a certain letter denote whether the WR is a SE or a Flanker?

Well, sure, but when I played we used all that..I was a flanker, but when discussing an actual play or looking at a diagram we'd use the letters.

 

[peplaw06]

Well, sure, but when I played we used all that..I was a flanker, but when discussing an actual play or looking at a diagram we'd use the letters.

OK... i don't know much of the play-calling terminology, but I guess from what you're saying, the play calls the letter of the WR and then the number of the route.

But how does a WR know when he's supposed to be on the line or not? Do they just have to know by the play? Do they look down the line to see if the TE is on their side of the field? Is there one WR who's always on the LOS... I don't think that's it, because most teams move the WRs around so much.