Laterals in American football are backward or sideways passes. These passes matter because they keep the play alive. Teams use laterals in open-field situations. Rules require the ball to move backward.
Risk increases with each lateral. Coaches limit their use due to turnovers. For example, a runner laterals the ball to a teammate during a broken play.
Discover more from PlayTerms | Simple Sports Terms & Definitions.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.