When a defender intercepts a forward pass thrown by the opposing team’s quarterback, possession of the ball is given to the other team.
Your team will now play defense if your quarterback throws an interception when you are on offense and the other team is now on offense.
It is for this reason that an interception is considered a turnover.
When an Interception is Thrown, What happens?
Let’s take a look at what happens after an interception now that you know what it is.
Like any other player who catches a pass, a defender who intercepts the ball has the opportunity to return it.
As soon as the ball is taken away, all eleven offensive players begin looking for a way to bring down the ball carrier.
While the defenders focus on protecting the ball carrier, the remaining ten defensive players will now act as blockers.
A pick-six is a return of an interception all the way into the opposing team’s end zone. This counts as a touchdown for the team that intercepted the ball.
What is the Most Common Position for Interceptions?
Like touchdowns, interceptions are also skewed towards certain positions, such as running backs or receivers.
It is cornerbacks who are most likely to lead the league in interceptions. Cornerbacks cover outside receivers and attempt to prevent quarterbacks from completing passes.
Due to their main purpose on the field, cornerbacks are often in a position to intercept the ball. However, getting an interception as a cornerback is still quite challenging.
The next most common position to score an interception is free safety. Free safeties often sit deep into the defensive backfield, preventing long passes from being completed.
As they are usually facing the quarterback, they have a unique opportunity to see see. This allows these players to anticipate throws, giving them an opportunity to intercept them.
The players do not typically play one-on-one coverage, which makes interceptions less risky for them. If they miss, another defender will often be nearby to bring the receiver down.
How does a Pick Six work in Football?
You are likely to hear the term pick six associated with interceptions in football. A pick six refers to a play in which the ball is intercepted and returned all the way for a touchdown.
In football, interceptions are often called “picks”. You may also hear announcers say that a pass has been intercepted.
As well, teams are awarded six points when they score a touchdown before attempting an extra point.
It is for this reason that pick-sixes are referred to as interceptions returned for touchdowns.
As a result of offensive players not being able to make a tackle when the ball is turned over, interceptions are often returned for touchdowns.
Many cornerbacks intercept the ball and only have the wide receiver they were covering nearby when they intercept the ball.
When a cornerback is able to get past a wide receiver, they often have a lot of open field in front of them. Cornerbacks are quite fast, so they can often carry the ball all the way to the end zone.
What Happens When you Get an Interception in the End zone?
It is also confusing when interceptions are caught in the end zone.
As we discussed earlier in the article, intercepting the ball will transfer possession to the defensive team.
When an interceptor is tackled, the defense will usually start with the ball.
When a player intercepts the ball in the end zone, this isn’t true.
The ball will be returned to the team’s own twenty-yard line if a player catches the ball and is tripped in the end zone.
It is also called a touchback if a player is downed after catching the ball and traveling into the end zone.
If the player intercepts the ball and enters the end zone voluntarily and is tackled, the team who tackled the player will win two points. In addition, possession of the ball will change.
What is the Least Intercepted Position?
The defensive tackle position gets the fewest interceptions, since they are the biggest and heaviest players on the field.
Because of their large frame and lack of pass coverage, these players almost always have to rely on tipped balls for an interception.
As a result, defensive tackles are extremely unlikely to intercept passes thrown in their area.
Our article on interceptions concludes with a look at why players often say oskie following an interception.