Explain a screen pass and why it's called a screen?

Answer 1

The term screen comes from the play's design which has several blockers in front of the pass receiver at the time of the catch, creating a 'screen' in front of the receiver. The two general types of screen pass are those that are thrown to a running back and to a wide receiver. A screen pass to a wide receiver is a quick developing play. The quarterback will drop back, usually three steps, and throw the ball laterally or a yard or two forward, to the wide receiver who is behind the line of scrimmage. While this is going on a couple of offensive lineman run out to the side and get in front of the receiver. There might also be another wide receiver or tight end lined up on that side so there would be three blockers in front of the receiver when he catches the ball and begins running upfield. A screen pass to a running back is a slow developing play. The quarterback will drop back normally as if he is looking to throw the ball downfield. The running back will stay in the backfield as if he is going to block for the quarterback. Then the running back will move into an area, behind the line of scrimmage, to catch a pass while two or three of the offensive lineman and maybe the tight end, who have been blocking defensive lineman, will peel off and get in front of him. The quarterback will throw him the ball and he will have several blockers ahead of him. This type of screen pass can also be thrown to a tight end. The tight end will line up on the line of scrimmage next to an offensive tackle and start the play as a blocker. He will then peel off the block and the quarterback will get him the ball while some of the offensive lineman also peel off their blocks and get into position to block for the receiver.