Nose tackle
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[edit] 3-4
The nose tackle is an extremely important player of the 3-4 defense in American Football. He lines up over the center. The nose tackle is usually the largest defensive lineman, as he must cover an area usually covered by two tackles in the traditional 4-3 defense. He is the anchor of the line, ideally immovable, and usually weighing in excess of 320 pounds, but usually not taller than 6'4 in order to get leverage. He has to be strong, so that he can stand up his man and read the play. In the 3-4 defense, pass rushing is usually left to the other members of the front 7, be they the defensive ends or the linebackers (especially the outside linebackers), who are given better angles to rush off the ends. A Nose Tackle must also have the mind-set that he must take up at least 2 offensive players, and also 2 gaps. This could quite possibly be the most important player on the field.
[edit] 4-3
In a traditional 4-3 defensive set, known as a two-gap defensive set, the nose tackle is one of two defensive tackles, usually on the weak side of the offensive line. His job is to take up the center and weak-side or pulling guard so that the smaller 'rush' end has a 1-on-1 matchup with the offense's blindside tackle. The second defensive tackle has no real designation, but takes up the strongside guard and the strongside end takes up the strongside offensive tackle. A 1-gap scheme relies on an athletic defensive line rather than a large one and does not include a nose tackle. More modern, cover-2 schemes include either four smaller, athletic linemen, like Tony Dungy's scheme, developed in Tampa Bay; or two small, athletic ends and two nose tackles, like the scheme used by the Baltimore Ravens during their 2000 championship season.
