The offense is the eleven players whose job is to move the ball and score. It is led by the quarterback, who runs each play, the running backs who carry the ball, the receivers who catch it, and the offensive line that protects them. When a team has possession, this is the unit on the field, and everything it does is aimed at reaching the other end.
What the offense is trying to do
The offense has one goal: get the ball to the far end of the field and score, keeping possession for as long as it can along the way.
It gets four attempts, called downs, to move the ball ten yards. Make the ten and it earns a fresh set of downs and keeps going; fail, and possession usually hands over. Reach the end zone for a touchdown, or settle for a kick through the posts for a field goal. The downs system and the scoring both sit in the rules, in how downs and scoring work. Here we care about the unit doing the moving.
The quarterback runs the show
The quarterback is the heart of the offense. He takes the ball to start almost every play, then hands it to a runner, throws it to a receiver, or now and then keeps it himself. He leads the unit on the field and can change the plan at the line if he sees trouble coming.
One thing surprises newcomers: he usually did not choose the play. A coach on the sideline picks it and sends it in, and the quarterback carries it out. How that call reaches him is its own small drama, which I cover in who calls the plays.
Who’s who on offense
The eleven split into two groups: the ones who handle the ball, and the ones who clear the way.
The ball-handlers, often called the skill positions, are the quarterback, the running backs who carry the ball and catch out of the backfield, the wide receivers who run downfield to catch passes, and the tight ends, hybrids who can block like a lineman and catch like a receiver.
Clearing the way is the offensive line: five big players who protect the quarterback and open gaps for the runners. From the middle outwards they are the center, who snaps the ball to begin each play, two guards and two tackles. They almost never touch the ball, and they are the reason everyone else can do their job.
Running plays and passing plays
Every offensive play is, underneath it all, one of two things: a run or a pass.
On a running play, the ball is handed to a back who carries it forward on the ground behind his blockers. Runs are lower risk, grind out steady yards and keep the clock moving. On a passing play, the quarterback throws to a receiver downfield. Passes are higher risk and higher reward: they gain ground in bigger chunks, but an incomplete throw stops the clock and gains nothing, and a poor one can be intercepted.
The craft is in the mix. A good offense keeps the defense guessing and uses one to set up the other: fake a handoff to freeze the defenders, then throw over the top. Lean too hard on either and the defense stops it. Exactly how it does that is how the defense works.
What the numbers mean
Everything the offense does gets counted: passing yards, rushing yards, touchdowns, completions. What those figures actually tell you, and which ones matter, is decoded in NFL quarterback and offensive stats. Learn the roles here first, and the box score starts to read like a story. For the other two units this one shares the field with, head back to how football is played.
Frequently asked questions
What does the offense do in football? The offense is the team with the ball, and its job is to move it down the field and score. It has four downs to gain ten yards and keep possession, and it scores by reaching the end zone for a touchdown or kicking a field goal. It moves the ball by running it or passing it.
What are the offensive positions in football? The offense has eleven players. The ball-handlers are the quarterback, the running backs, the wide receivers and the tight ends. Protecting them is the offensive line of five: a center, two guards and two tackles. The quarterback leads the unit, and the line blocks so the others can run, catch and throw.
What is the difference between a running play and a passing play? On a running play, the ball is handed to a back who carries it forward on the ground. On a passing play, the quarterback throws it to a receiver downfield. Runs are safer and gain steady yards; passes are riskier but gain more ground, and an incomplete pass stops the clock.