Editing Quarterback sack (section)

{{short description|Action in gridiron football}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}
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| image1            = Washington Football Team vs. Detroit Lions at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan, November 15, 2020.jpg
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| image2            = Jon Bostic Jonathan Allen Matt Stafford Kevin Pierre-Louis (50611231312).jpg
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| image3            = Jon Bostic Jonathan Allen Matt Stafford Kevin Pierre-Louis (50610372493).jpg
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| footer            = Quarterback [[Matthew Stafford]] being sacked by multiple [[Washington Football Team]] players.
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In [[gridiron football]], a '''sack''' occurs when the [[quarterback]] (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is [[tackle (football move)|tackled]] behind the [[line of scrimmage]] before throwing a [[forward pass]], when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "[[passing pocket|pocket]]" and without clear intent, or when a passer runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2011ez.pdf |title= 2011 Football Statisticians Manual, p. 17 |publisher=NCAA |access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref> This often occurs if the opposing team's [[defensive team|defensive line]], [[linebacker]]s or [[defensive backs]] are able to apply '''pass pressure''' (also called a '''[[pass rush]]''') to quickly get past [[blocking (American football)|blocking]] players of the [[offensive team]] (the quarterback's protection), or if the quarterback is unable to find an available [[eligible receiver]] (including [[wide receiver]]s, [[running back]]s and [[tight end]]s) to catch the ball, allowing the defense a longer opportunity to tackle the quarterback. 

A sack is advantageous for the defending team as the offense loses a [[Down (gridiron football)|down]], and the line of scrimmage retreats several yards.<ref name=":0" /> Even better for the defense is a sack causing the quarterback to [[fumble]] the ball at or behind the line of scrimmage; this is also known as a strip sack and can result in a [[Turnover (gridiron football)|turnover]] if the defense manages to obtain the ball. A quarterback who is pressured but avoids a sack can still be adversely affected by being forced to hurry.

The quarterback must pass the statistical line of scrimmage to avoid the sack. If a passer is sacked in his own end zone, the result is a [[Safety (gridiron football score)|safety]] and the defending team is awarded two points. If the football is fumbled and recovered either inside the end zone by the defense, or outside the end zone and is returned to the end zone this results in a [[touchdown]] for the defense.