Smashmouth Offense
The Smashmouth Offense (from English coll. Smash mouth = "to hit the mouth") is an offense strategy in American football . The running game is emphasized here.
description
The basic idea of a Smashmouth Offense is to "ram the football right in the mouth" of the opposing defense through many runs of the running backs , assisted by the offensive line and blocking tight ends . H. to play crumbly. It is exploited that with a running play there is a lower risk of losing the ball than with a throwing play, it is also effective in bad weather and the attacking team can take a lot of time from the music box. This is especially important at the end of a game when the team in possession of the ball wants to downplay the clock. An effective smashmouth offense is extremely exhausting to defend and can demoralize the opposing team if you repeatedly hit a first down with simple runs through the middle . The disadvantage is that the Smashmouth Offense offers few surprises, which limits the gain in space, and can be quickly neutralized by a team with a good run defense.
In the Smashmouth Offense, the I-formation with two running backs is often used, one of whom carries the ball (halfback) and the other blocks for it (fullback). The quarterback passes the ball to the halfback, while the fullback, offensive line and tight end block a path for him.
history
In the early days of football, the Smashmouth Offense was the dominant attack tactic, as running plays were performed much more often than passing plays . Strong running backs and good blockers (i.e. offensive line and tight ends ) were indispensable for success back then. Successful teams that have followed this strategy have included a. the Cleveland Browns with the dominant running backs Jim Brown and Marion Motley or the Green Bay Packers under Vince Lombardi , whose “Packer Sweep” could hardly be stopped. This didn't change until the 1980s, when innovative coaches like Bill Walsh and Don Coryell popularized throw-intensive tactics like the West Coast Offense . Nevertheless, the ability to drive an effective Smashmouth Offense is still in demand today.
The Smashmouth Offense is so anchored in English usage that smashmouth is, according to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, a synonym for “with brutal violence and without finesse” ( brute force without finesse ).