Footballpicks, the short form of picked off, or interceptions, also known as an “int”,
take place when a pass, either by hand or foot, is caught by a player of the
opposing team, thus gaining possession for his own team. It is common in
football, also American and Canadian football. Interceptions are also common in
rugby, like in the rugby union or rugby league. Alternatively,
a pick can refer to a situation when one receiver intentionally gets in the way
of a defender so his teammate (another receiver) gets some separation from that
defender.
When considering American or Canadian football, interceptions
occur when a player of the opposition catches a forward pass. This leads to a
role reversal in the game. The defender who intercepted the pass, then becomes
a part of the offense, and he has to take the ball as close to the goal of the
opposing side as possible. Once play is stopped, if the interceptor maintains
possession of the ball, his team gets the possession from the spot where he was
taken down.
Most of the time,
it’s the secondary or the “linebackers”, who make the interceptions. It is because
they have greatest proximity to the wide receivers, running backs and tight
ends, the intended targets of the quarterback.
Sometimes, a
defensive linesman may intercept a shovel pass, a near sack, a tipped ball, or
a screen pass. No sooner does the linesman get the interception, than the
defenders turn into “blockers”, blocking the opposition to let the linesman, having
intercepted the ball, to get as far as possible near the opponent’s goal.
Simultaneously, the offense players assume their defensive roles and make
attempts to tackle the ball carrier.
As we can see, the
game of football can change in a matter of seconds, all thanks to footballpicks.
