Leverage

Leverage, Pre-Snap Alignment

In coverage and run fits, leverage is the directional side a defender controls relative to where his defensive help is on the field:

Inside Leverage

The defender aligns on the receiver's inside shoulder, taking away slants, digs, and posts. He plays aggressively inside because his help is the sideline or a deep safety over the top.

Outside Leverage

The defender aligns on the outside shoulder to protect contain and force the ball carrier or route back into the middle of the field, where interior linebackers and safeties are flowing.

Offensive skill players read defender leverage before the snap to find open space. A receiver facing inside leverage stems his route at the defender's inside hip before breaking outside into open grass.

Leverage, Body Position and Pad Level

At the point of attack, leverage is the mechanical advantage gained through pad level, base width, and body positioning:

Pad Level and Base

Low man wins. A blocker or tackler sinks his hips and strikes from the ground up, getting his hands inside the opponent's frame to generate power through the hips.

Positional Leverage

Establishing helmet and shoulder placement across an opponent's body to seal a gap. On a reach block, a lineman works his helmet to the defender's playside number; on a down block, he drives his shoulder into the defender's upfield hip.

Vertical Stacking

In the passing game, a receiver who wins vertical leverage stacks directly on top of the trailing defensive back, taking away the defender's angle to the ball.

Leverage, The Kick Blocking Foul

Under NFL Rule 12-3-1, leverage is a 15-yard personal foul called when a defensive player places a hand on a teammate or opponent to pull himself up, or jumps on or stands on another player to gain height when attempting to block a field goal or extra point.