Other than protecting your own quarterback, getting to the opposing quarterback might be the most important objective in football. That’s the primary job of the defensive end, other than setting the edge. Defensive ends use a combination of strength and agility to get past offensive linemen and into the backfield, where they sometimes encounter a pass-blocking running back or fullback.
Explosiveness is key at this position, and of all the positions on defense, defensive ends might have the highest propensity to make momentum-shifting plays, such as a strip-sack.
Defensive tackles also have an important job: stopping the run and plugging the holes created by offensive linemen.