Why don't offenses get tired too?

[DalTXColtsFan]

You always hear when a team is winning the time of possession battle that "the other team's defense is getting tired/worn down".

 

The offense has been out there just as long - why do defenses get tired when offenses don't?

[Valpo2004]

You always hear when a team is winning the time of possession battle that "the other team's defense is getting tired/worn down".

 

The offense has been out there just as long - why do defenses get tired when offenses don't?

 

I think they do but not as fast.  

 

I believe the reason is that every time the offense goes to the line they all know where they are going to go.  So there isn't a lot of wasted movement.

 

Defense has to react to whatever the offense is doing.  

 

On top of that a lot of times the offense only has to have one guy running at full speed the entire play.  Say you run a WR end around for example.  The only guy on that offense that has to run at full speed is the WR getting the ball.  The rest of the offense has to run but they are not flat out sprinting, they just have to be fast enough to set up their blocks.

 

On the other hand the entire defense has to run to set the edge.  

 

Also I think offensive packages are more flexible then defensive packages.  If your # 2 just had a really long run and you want to rest him for a play or 2 you can do that.  Just run the ball or use a TE or something like that.  If you try to rest your #2 CB it's a weakness to exploit.

 

And also offense gets to control substitutions.  If the offense runs hurry up, the defense can't substitute.  They can only substitute when the offense does.  

 

Because of all these things the offense doesn't wear out as quickly as the defense does.  

[Gramz]

I'm going to make an observation that probably isn't "politically correct"  yet somewhat obvious to me....

 

Aren't most  Defensive players as a rule  a bit heavier than  offensive players?   And I'm not in any way being rude here, but I could see them getting winded and  out of breath and tired a bit quicker than offensive players?  

[Valpo2004]

I'm going to make an observation that probably isn't "politically correct"  yet somewhat obvious to me....

 

Aren't most  Defensive players as a rule  a bit heavier than  offensive players?   And I'm not in any way being rude here, but I could see them getting winded and  out of breath and tired a bit quicker than offensive players?  

 

Ehh not really. . . There are 5 OL and 3 or 4 DL and they are all the heaviest players at about the same size.  In a 3-4 set the DL may be a little heavier then the OL but not that much.

 

It's the reasons I described above.

[CR91]

im welling to bet defensive players are on the field more then offensive players

[RollerColt]

Offensive players to me have always been more of the stamina specialists, kinda like marathon runners. They train to not tire as easily and expect to be "GO GO GO" the whole game.

 

I see defensive players as wanting to stop you as fast as possible, meaning hopefully getting off the field fast...

 

This hasn't always been the case though, the 2005-2006 Colts defense was pretty speed and stamina heavy. Our defense right now though is more built to be big and tough on the ground. More weight means they will tire a bit faster... 

 

That's just how I see it though. 

[Surge89]

You always hear when a team is winning the time of possession battle that "the other team's defense is getting tired/worn down".

 

The offense has been out there just as long - why do defenses get tired when offenses don't?

 

Easy :-)  

 

It is a ton more tiring when you are "chasing" because you exhibit much more energy.  When you know where you want to go you commit the required energy to do so and can retain if you know you don't need to.  Soccer is a great example or well an exaggerated example of football lol. In soccer if you have no possession you're players are much more winded because they are "chasing the ball".  Which means they are having to track players and running from spot to spot.   When you have possession you are mainly passing meaning movement is lower because you are utilizing space to your advantage. It is somewhat the same in Football except instead of space you are taking advantage of movement.  While the defense has to waste in order to catch up and/or beat the play the offense can be more efficient with said movement because they know where the play is going or intended to go.

 

After reading what I just wrote... maybe not so easy lol

[jvan1973]

im welling to bet defensive players are on the field more then offensive players

There is far more rotation on the d line than o line.

[CR91]

There is far more rotation on the d line than o line.

 

of course, but the skill players are rotated as well on offense

[Qwiz]

Conditioning.

[Andrew Luck's Beard]

Emotions? If the offense is on the field longer, that means they're moving the ball down the field on the defense.

[oldunclemark]

Easy :-)  

 

It is a ton more tiring when you are "chasing" because you exhibit much more energy.  When you know where you want to go you commit the required energy to do so and can retain if you know you don't need to.  Soccer is a great example or well an exaggerated example of football lol. In soccer if you have no possession you're players are much more winded because they are "chasing the ball".  Which means they are having to track players and running from spot to spot.   When you have possession you are mainly passing meaning movement is lower because you are utilizing space to your advantage. It is somewhat the same in Football except instead of space you are taking advantage of movement.  While the defense has to waste in order to catch up and/or beat the play the offense can be more efficient with said movement because they know where the play is going or intended to go.

 

After reading what I just wrote... maybe not so easy lol

Listen to surge!

[wig]

First off, you have to focus on line play because of weight. Now that you've done that, realize the O-line's job is to stay neutral for the most part. It takes more effort to get by someone than to force them into a stalemate.

[BloodyChamp]

As a couple of people have said, having to react more often will wear you down first.

1 other thing is the psychological/emotional aspect of playing on offense. The more successful you are on offense, the more you want to keep it up on offense. Meamwhile the more successful you are on offense, the more you don't want to keep it up on defense. The rare but apparent instances when offenses get tired exemplify this too. The less successful they are on offense, the more tired they get while the defense gets more and more juiced up with every lick they dish out. Offenses also get tired when they go up and down the field only to have redzone problems.

[aaron11]

Some of it could be mental. The offense wants to be out there, killing the clock with a long drive. The defense, by definition wants to get off the field

[Valpo2004]

As a couple of people have said, having to react more often will wear you down first.

1 other thing is the psychological/emotional aspect of playing on offense. The more successful you are on offense, the more you want to keep it up on offense. Meamwhile the more successful you are on offense, the more you don't want to keep it up on defense. The rare but apparent instances when offenses get tired exemplify this too. The less successful they are on offense, the more tired they get while the defense gets more and more juiced up with every lick they dish out. Offenses also get tired when they go up and down the field only to have redzone problems.

 

This too but the main thing is that it takes a lot more energy to try and chase people then it does when you know where you are going.

 

Also like I said usually the entire defense has to go full speed on every play.  The only offensive players who have to go full speed are guys going out for a pass or the guy running the ball.  

[Flying Elvis]

It is a strange phenomenon. Playing on offense it feels like you are playing downhill. Playing on defense it feels like you are playing uphill. It does seem to be psychological. I guarantee wide receivers get tired quick though.

[chad72]

Mental exhaustion is overlooked. I sit at my desk for about 8 hours a day with breaks for the bathroom or lunch or water breaks. Yet, when you are zoned in for the duration that you are working, that mental exhaustion is felt at the end of the day even though I burnt little energy.

 

Same way with offenses that know where they are going versus Ds that have to account for more than the exact way the offense is going and react. As the game goes on, a D that is on its heels does feel mentally exhausted on top of the physical exhaustion and to me, that is why the Os come out ahead. Now, Ds have to worry extra bit about defenseless receiver, where to hit the WR or TE or QB on top of defeating the holding of OL, and the level of mental exhaustion goes up, IMO. 

[Synthetic]

Technically speaking, offenses do get tired. Quarterbacks take monster hits from time to time given how the defense is playing, and they can also tire down too and play sloppy. 

 

There is one advantage the offense has over the defense and that is the momentum of being in control on driving the ball. They can still tire out, but this one advantage can help the mind of an offense as they know it's their job to go down the field and score 

 

 

Both sides of the ball do not tire like they do in other sports, since American Football is broken down into micromanagement and a play system. If we were talking football as in Soccer, you would see a lot more players tired out quicker and changing in lineups.

 

The lineup changes still occur though in American Football. Some older players only come in for third downs, and so forth. 

[achcolts]

Its simply because the offense* controls the pace.. Defense has to react and keep up with the pace

[mikey287]

Chasing the play vs. knowing the play. You expend far less mental and physical energy doing something where the result is expected as opposed to chasing it around.

 

Same phenomenon exists in hockey. Power play players can routinely play 90 seconds at a kick, while penalty killers will often try to change after 20 or 30 seconds...