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Take Your Eye Off the Ball: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look

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Provides fans the skills to watch a football game by showing readers how to compile data from a game, introducing the players and their roles, and mastering the NFL draft.

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

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Pat Kirwan

10 books7 followers

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5 stars
487 (33%)
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611 (42%)
3 stars
280 (19%)
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57 (3%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
Profile Image for Melindam.
719 reviews344 followers
September 6, 2019
This has been a very interesting and educational read for a woman like me, who

1) did not know too much about the game to begin with apart from the basics
2) is not from the US
3) nevertheless tried to impress her huge NFL-fan of a husband by appearing to know more about it than she does.

PLUS, I did enjoy it. Pat Kirwan has an easy, entertaining style and never appears to be looking down on the reader from any heights of expertise. He is eager to share what he knows and why he loves the game. The message comes through without difficulties.
Profile Image for Tim Lowe.
11 reviews5 followers
November 26, 2010

I love football. Specifically professional football. Very specifically NFL football.

I used to pride myself on knowing more about football than my circle of friends. I knew the difference between a 3-4 defense and a 4-3. I knew what "cover 2" meant. I had a firm grasp of the difference in assignments for players depending upon the called play.

In football, there are many little dramas playing out every time the ball is snapped. Most people resort to following the ball since that is "where the action is." However, Kirwan implores us to see the bigger picture and then understand the game better.

Yes, I thought I knew a lot about football. And then I read TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE BALL: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look (Triumph Books) by Pat Kirwan. I see a whole different ball game now. Kirwan is a good teacher. In this book, he focuses your attention one area at a time. First, he explains the personnel groupings that can exist on every play and teaches you how to chart these plays. Then, we learn the basic structure of the week leading up to each game...what the players and coaches are doing on those days between games. Kirwan teaches us what a quarterback really does and why it truly is the "toughest job in sports". Consider this tidbit:

"(Dan) Marino always tells me the same thing. 'If I worked out a quarterback
for an NFL team,' he says, 'he'd have to show me 100 throws
off his back foot.' Still, too many scouts will downgrade a quarterback
prospect for throwing off his back foot. In a collapsing pocket,
it's actually an important skill to have."

We then learn insider information about what running backs really do -- it is way more than run the football. In the remaining chapters, Kirwan gives us the scoop on wide receivers, the offensive line, the wildcat formation, the aforementioned 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, pass rushing from the o-line and d-line perspectives and defensive backs. Then we learn about "football intelligence," and how great athletes who don't have it can get cut off the rosters. The chain of command in NFL team offices is explained as well as what really happens before the draft. Kirwin then gives his opinion on the future of the NFL as well as a handy glossary of terms the reader has probably learned.

I can't say this loudly enough. Get this book for the football fan in your life. He or she will be glad you did...and will probably thank you sometime in February when they come out of their football daze

Kirwan spent 25 years working in the trenches of football, coaching at the high school, college and pro levels. He is now a senior analyst on nfl.com, and a co-host of "Movin' the Chains" on Sirius NFL Radio.
Profile Image for Andre.
66 reviews21 followers
December 1, 2011
Easy read. The DVD, which seems more like pimping out the book, actually clarifies the book in a lot of ways.

Not surprisingly, towards the end of this book, he mentions that good coaches need to identify the learning styles of their players so they can maximize the message. I guess I'm visual.

I purchased this book because I was hoping I'd have a better understanding of offensive and defense play sets, across both the WCO and Air Coryell philosophies. Turns out this book describes everything in a football organization, from explaining the draft to talking about nuances like the placement of a cornerback's hips and how that's a "tell" to the type of coverage, to special teams coverage and the degree that most kickers like to have the ball pointing during a field goal kick (it's 6 degrees to the outside, with laces out). The book is fresh (2010), and talks about the modern game as an evolution over the older style game. It even touches what makes the Wildcat offense so hard to defend against. Very surprising read and it's actually a very easy one, too.

So while this book wasn't quite what I was expecting, I think I understand the whole of the game a bit better. Definitely look forward to watching football more now. Who knows, I might even get into college football. //
515 reviews220 followers
March 27, 2011
A must-read for any fan who wants to know more about the on-field and office operations of the game. Very clearly explained and arranged in very manageable sections.
Profile Image for Taylor.
294 reviews230 followers
November 3, 2014
A bit torn on this one because for the first two-thirds, I felt like I was learning quite a bit, and for the last third, not as much.

Pat Kirwan - who, coincidentally, coached at Hofstra, my alma mater - is a former coach and current NFL analyst and sports-writer. You can pick up on his biases pretty easily (dude obviously loves the Patriots), but in general, he lays down an even-handed, accessible look at the current(-ish) incarnation of the game, as broken down by position and offense v. defense.

For the most part, chapters are separated by explaining basic offensive and defensive strategies, broken down by the needs for each position. He's not going highly in-depth on certain plays, but gives an umbrella look at different approaches and strategies, with explanations of some plays at examples. It becomes obvious fairly early on that most strategies are based on being assigned to a certain zone or a certain player, but I found the break-downs of the requirements for each position incredibly interesting and useful. I underlined and dog-eared a lot of pages that I'm sure I'll go back to.

He makes a great point about the learning curve of the game in that, unlike baseball, where announcers have lots of empty air space to talk about strategy - since the action is fairly quick and spread out over a long amount of time - football has very little time between plays, and by the time an announcer would be able to explain a play on an in-depth level, the next is well past happening. There just isn't the air time needed to break down everything that goes right or wrong on a particular play.

While the break-downs by position were incredibly helpful, there were a few things I struggled with. As someone who spends their football time watching a strong defensive team (the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks), I knew more about defensive plays and schemes than offensive ones - and I imagine I'm not the only person who has knowledge that's more fleshed out in one area than another. Which made it a bit hard when he doesn't go into explanations of some of the basic stuff - like a screen pass, or a play-action - and sure, those are things that I'm sure a lot of people do know. But, since the book has a glossary, there's no reason why those kinds of things couldn't have been included in the glossary. I ended up having to google a few things, and that inconvenience could've been easily saved by putting even the basic definitions in the glossary - which would have covered a wider assortment of those of us with spotty knowledge in some areas. (And it was a particular inconvenience because I was on an airplane while reading most of this and didn't have access to internet to look up some of the things.) He also talks about the different personnel line-ups (11, 12, 22, etc), but nowhere is there a chart that explains what each one is, which would've been nice. He just says what they are each time.

The latter sections about the draft and about management personnel seemed potentially interesting but didn't contain any particular insights that I didn't already know from my introductory football knowledge or that couldn't be gained from informed assumption. Yes, of course it makes sense that teams do better when they have people who've played the game involved in upper management, and when they let the coaches do what they want with regards to personnel, etc.

One thing I can't really dock him for is that the book is already somewhat out of date, even though it's only four years old. This is exemplary of how fast the game evolves, which is part of why it's so interesting. Kirwan dedicates a chapter to the Wildcat - where a QB lines up as a Wide Receiver - which was an up-and-coming innovation at the time, and I don't think I've seen a single team use that recently. No doubt, if it had been written last year or the year before, that chapter would be about the read option. He also talks about 4-3 vs 3-4 defenses, and I just saw an article about how most teams aren't even using that as their go to - teams last year lined up using a 4-2-5 the most, likely since the league has become more and more passing-oriented (though 4-3 and 3-4 were indeed the second and third most frequent options). It's not his fault, though, that some of this is no longer true - that's just how quickly these strategies evolve in the NFL.

In general, I learned plenty from Take Your Eye Off the Ball and imagine I'll be referencing in for quite awhile. Still, if anyone has tips on other football knowledge reads, I'd love to hear about them.
22 reviews
April 19, 2014
If you spend 6+ hours on the weekends watching football, definitely get this book!

A basic understanding of football is required for this book: 11 players on the field, first down is 10 yards, the yellow first down line on TV isn't on the actual field, etc.

I picked up this book after listening to Jim Miller and the author, Pat Kirwan, on SiriusXM radio all season long and was blown away at their analysis of how the games would play out on Sunday.

This book, like the show, is very insightful and a great resource for football knowledge.

The book covers 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, and the different roles the front seven has in each system. You will also learn the difference between 4 buzz and 4 sky when a safety comes into the box for run support. There are charts the author uses to analyze the games and easy concepts to help understand what is going on and who is on the field (21 personnel, 12 personnel, etc). If you follow the draft, there is a draft section to help make sense of the combine and all the information that surrounds the off-season. (Explosion numbers, production ratios, etc). You'll also learn the differences between zone and angle blocking and how the LG should be more agile than the RG. Another favorite lesson was learning how to tell if the DBs are in zone or man coverage in pre-snap reads.

Excellent book for someone who loves the game, understands the basics, and wants to learn more.


55 reviews3 followers
August 18, 2020
Without a doubt, this was one of the best books I've ever read on the art of watching and understanding football. It definitely bears re-reading, which I plan to do, in order to absorb all of the information it offers those who want a deeper appreciation of the game.
Profile Image for Gabriela.
168 reviews18 followers
October 24, 2018
Um livro MUITO bom para quem quer se aprofundar nos conhecimentos do futebol americano.

Para quem já entendeu conceitos básicos, de descidas, jardas, posições, quem faz o que e outras coisas assim, vale a pena ler.

Li algumas reviews internacionais e vi que a versão gringa acompanha um DVD, eu iria atrás dessa edição. Entender o livro com imagens vale muito a pena. É para ser estudado com calma, assistir jogos da NFL ou até do College com o livro do lado, checando e estudando.

A edição brasileira tem alguns errinhos de grafia, e algumas traduções que não gostei muito na parte final do livro, no glossário, mas o conteúdo é excelente.
Profile Image for Joe.
542 reviews8 followers
December 30, 2011
This is a great read for fans of the NFL who know a bit more than the basics. If you have limited experience/knowledge this book might be a bit over your head. If you have played tons and watch regularly this book might be a bit basic. If you're somewhere in between this is a fantastic read. I will probably have to read it again and refer to while I'm watching games next season. At this point I feel like I understand a bunch more, but couldn't quite explain what I know to someone who is in the dark.
1 review
October 17, 2022
This book fits me very well as I really enjoy sports and especially the sport Football. This book is a sports book, and the plot of the book is Pat Kirwan talks about different ways players play and different ways fans can interact with the game so that it makes them seem like they are in the game. To begin, the book starts out by explaining how you as a person can be involved in the game without even having to be on the field, you can keep score and what the positions the team is playing as well as the formation and substitutions the team is making. And then on the player side of things this book also explains all the key points to Football and how they can change the game in a player's view as well as all the things coaches have to do before games as well as all the things players need to know or will learn over time playing the sport. The way Pat Kirwan goes further into detail on this subject I think is agwesome because as a reader you can learn so much that you may not already know, so as your reading you are learning new things about the sport you love. Some things I feel like that didn't work was Pat Kirwan would go into super crazy amounts of detail on some subjects in my opinion that didn't need it, but to be fair that's not entirely a bad thing to do as the information he gets into can be stuff you aren't aware of or didn't know. So, overall I think Pat Kirwan does very well with the way he writes this book and how he goes into each subject with such detail.


Lastly, I feel like this book isn't like any other sports books with the way Pat Kirwan goes into such great detail on some of these subjects and the way he explains them is amazing I think. I would definitely recommend this book to whoever really enjoys the game of Football and wants to read about it because I bet you will learn something new.
Profile Image for Stephanie L. .
66 reviews5 followers
January 30, 2022
For the uninitiated football fan, who wishes not only to understand some of the things they're seeing on the field, just before the snap, but also the responsibilities each position needs fulfilled for a player to be successful, this book offers the complete package, and more.

Pat Kirwan uses images and a lot of words to make sure he gets the point across for each position and scheme he needs to explain. For example, he'll begin explaining the differences between the 4 - 3 and 3 - 4 formations, explain which types of defensive players best suit each formation, and then present the physical requirements of the players that will best serve to play in the position. Aside from the responsibilities of the quarterback, Kirwan also explains what goes on in a team's off season schedule, as well. The draft procedure, how a quarterback prepares the moment the Super Bowl ends.

Certainly, if you are more acquainted with the basic stuff of football, this book won't offer you a deeper view. It's best suited to casual fans, and especially outside - of - America fans, who want to understand the sport at a better level. Also, bear in mind that this book was written in 2009, so a lot of things, like active players and schemes, may seem antiquated.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, and I think it is a great introduction for any new or casual fan.
1 review
September 28, 2023
During the summer, I had the opportunity to spend time with a colleague who shared my passion for American football. We often took breaks together, and during these breaks, he would immerse himself in a book about the sport. Like me, he had a deep interest in and knowledge of American football, but our actual playing experience was limited to backyard games. I decided to start reading the same book in anticipation of the upcoming football season, which typically kicks off in August. However, it got buried in my reading list, and I only managed to finish it now, halfway through the season. You can enjoy from https://tiroalpalo.info/ with friends and family.


The book is exceptionally well-structured and maintains a seamless flow from one chapter to the next. The first half primarily focuses on the offensive aspects of the game, with dedicated chapters covering topics such as quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and offensive linemen. In the latter half of the book, the emphasis shifts to defense, and there's also a fascinating section that touches on player drafting, the NFL combine, and the future of the sport.
Profile Image for Jonatan Sotelo.
143 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2017
El mejor que leí sobre futbol americano. Terminé el DVD extra que trae hace un rato y lo único que puedo decir es que es el material más completo que hay en el mercado sobre el deporte. No son sólo X&O, aborda cada problemática que enfrenta una persona vinculada con el deporte durante el año calendario de la NFL. Brinda herramientas para entender lo que sucede en el emparrillado, la semana del Draft, el combinado de talento. Todo muy completo.

Terminé la primer lectura pero estoy seguro que hay cosas que voy a volver a leer. Además de poner en práctica el seguimiento de los rookies que propone.

Excelente material. De primera calidad.
40 reviews
August 23, 2018
This is a decent book to provide a deeper than entry level introduction to professional football. Some aspects may be too advanced for someone just trying to learn the game, while others are overly simplistic for a fan that has good grasp on the sport already. It is certainly a book that can provide a quick reference and Mr. Kirwan is honest about the game he has devoted his professional life to. Overall, it is an enjoyable read and insightful.
Profile Image for Zack.
6 reviews
January 9, 2018
I learned quite a bit from this book, since I've come to realize I don't have a very deep understanding of many aspects of football. However, there's quite a bit of fluff and many references to people that are dated and not explained. I recently read Blood, Sweat and Chalk as well, and that book was better for getting deeper into football strategy.
46 reviews
January 19, 2018
Liked: Interesting discussion of how much player intelligence matters. Also very enjoyable future NFL predictions
Disliked: Complicated formation and route analysis with a lot of unfamiliar terminology.
48 reviews
February 17, 2017
Everything I could have asked for in terms of learning about the inside language and culture of the NFL. Great insight.
Profile Image for Lib DM.
257 reviews2 followers
September 24, 2017
Very dry, awful diagrams. Wildcat chapter pretty much useless now.
Profile Image for Terry Mohr.
11 reviews
February 25, 2019
provides the next level analysis of all football positions. Fun read and gives insight into the american football game.
Profile Image for Paul.
971 reviews6 followers
February 12, 2020
Really enjoyed this book.

If you're a NFL fan and you want to know more about what goes on, then this is a must read. I really love the insights and detail that goes into this book.
Profile Image for João Grossi.
4 reviews3 followers
February 16, 2020
After reading this book, I began to enjoy football much more. It really improves your understanding of the game.
34 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2021
It’s a good book with a lot of solid football terminology, I was just expecting more. Seems more tailored to the casual fan just getting into football.
Profile Image for Asher Abramson.
46 reviews5 followers
December 6, 2020
Learned some things I didn't know about football, but Tony Romo & film review Twitter get me a lot more bang for my buck.
Profile Image for Zach Koenig.
692 reviews6 followers
February 25, 2017
The premise of Pat Kirwan's "Take Your Eye Off The Ball" is simple: outside of the typical sideline shot that highlights most NFL plays on TV, there are a thousand-and-one other things transpiring that can give clues as to what is really going on beyond just following the flight of the ball. How deeply the reader wants to delve into Kirwan's discussion is a different matter entirely.

If you use this book as a study guide for NFL offenses, defenses, off-seasons, and everything in between, you will be rewarded. There is so much material covered in such a short period by Kirwan that repeated readings and studious thinking is needed in order to completely understand all the concepts.

If you are looking for a bit of light reading, however, you will likely be disappointed by all the technical jargon and strategy-speak. Kirwan does a pretty good job of providing anecdotes to illustrate his points, but this is an "X's & O's" book at heart and doesn't stray too far from that premise.

What it comes down to, then, is that I feel as if this book walks a middle line when it should have gone full-fledged manual. The concise writing and relatively short page number is conducive to NFL fans looking for some light reading, but the material is anything but. Had the book actually been a bit longer and better illustrated its key points/concepts, I feel it could have been one of the premiere NFL-teaching books in print (as Kirwan really knows his stuff).

Your enjoyment of this book, then, will ultimately come down to what you are looking for.
116 reviews
October 19, 2022
pretty basic knowledge but does dive into the more detailed stuff with 4-3 or 3-4. The sections about line play were probably the most useful stuff that cannot be learned through a game of madden per say. All in all good for a complete beginner.
Profile Image for James Dunphy.
172 reviews16 followers
November 10, 2014
I spent the summer with a coworker who read this on our breaks. He was like me, very interested and knowledgeable on American football, but had little playing experience outside the backyard. I picked this up an anticipation of football season around August, but it got lost in my backlog until I finished it now at the midway point of the season.
The book is very nicely organized and flows well from chapter to chapter. The first half is generally dedicated to the offensive side of the ball, with chapters dedicated to the quarterback, running back, receivers, and o-line. The second half covers defense, with a little side section concerning drafting players, the combine, and the future of the NFL.
The author displays his knowledge of the game in a very concise and easy to digest format. He has spent time working with the Jets in the past, and definitely knows what he's talking about, but doesn't go overboard in details. There are a decent amount of easy diagrams in each chapter that also help provide a key visual breakdowns of pass routes and blocking schemes. The final chapter is also a glossary of commonly used football terminology, which is helpful for picking up certain jargon used by announcers every week.
Even as a 15+ year football fan I took a whole lot out of reading this book. Every chapter not only broke down elements of the game, but also provided helpful ways to look out for this stuff the next time I watch it on TV. I have been able to spot secondary coverages and blitzes way better this season just by keeping certain points from the book in mind. This book also helped me fill in the gaps of the managerial power structure, both within a team (President, GM, Operations Management) and withing the coaching realm (Head Coach, Coordinators, Assistant Coaches) which I thought was just good information for any football fan to have. This book also helped me figure out the combine much better. I understand the variety of activities that take place, and what tests matter to what position.
There are really only two downsides to this book I can think of. If you're looking for a super in depth play analysis or playbook type breakdown of the game this isn't it. Some very key widely used runs and schemes are shown, but you're not getting the differences between Green Bay's “Blitz A” and San Diego's “Zone B”. There isn't that layer of depth to this book. The other pitfall (and it's a small one), is that the final chapter on the future or evolution of the NFL feels a big tacked on and needless. It didn't really bring up much that wasn't obvious already and wasn't as cohesive with the rest of the book. It's a short chapter, and a relatively minor complaint that doesn't take away from how great this book is though.
If you really love football like I do and want to seek a better understanding of the game, and perhaps take away from helpful cues to look for next Sunday afternoon then definitely go pick this book up. It's a very quick, easy, informative read for pigskin fans of all experience and dedication. I will be desperately trying to get some of my non-reading football crazy friends to read this in the months ahead.
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