It is easy usually because the protection is run from an empty formation and the defense usually adjusts their alignment to cover the receivers versus bringing exotic blitzes. That makes the reads and rules for the OL easy and the execution of the protection usually has a high percentage of success, unless you are playing against a talented pass rusher.
So what is the hard part? It is when the DC decides to be a wise guy and bring a bunch of crazy blitzes where any one defender could be coming from any angle. It can also be difficult if you are playing a really talented team that decides to run man across the board and brings 6 pass rushers every play. So now the QB has to find a quick route that can get open against man and actually throw it in a tight window.
The difficulty can also come from your own team. Your wise guy OC may decide to run a empty pass concept from a normal formation. Just imagine a Pro formation and all 5 eligible receivers release on a route...do you think the defense is necessary anticipating such a play? Probably not, but that is probably when the wise guy DC decides to bring the house and your QB has to drop back and make a read with the entire front 7 blitzing.
Empty pass protection requires a lot of communication and all heads on a swivel. It really is the true test of an OL and their ability to work together, especially when the defense gets fancy with their blitz. The OL and QB need to understand the design of the formation/play so they know where they have advantages or disadvantages. There are going to be times where the OL will have to let someone go and so the OL needs to know who to let go and the QB needs to know who will be the free defender.
When start talking about Empty pass protection, I give my guys a little geometry/physics lesson first. What is the quickest route to a destination? A straight line. As you move outside, away from the football, the distance of the straight line gets longer (triangles) and thus takes more time to travel (time = distance/speed) Also, as you move back, away from the football, the distance of the straight line gets longer and requires more time.
So after that talk, usually the OL gets the idea of where the priorities are: inside out, with the guys on the line being the first priority and the second level defenders being second priority. The more time it takes to get the QB, the more time the QB has to throw the ball...so take away the quickest routes to QB.
So here is the steps an OL must take when empty pass protection is called:
1) Widen splits a little
2) Identify 3 WR side
3) Identify Down players
4) Identify MDM (Most Dangerous Men)
5) Draw conclusions and COMMUNICATE!!!
The widening of splits should make sense...the wider I can get the DL to align, the more time I create for QB.
The identification of the 3 WR side is because if you get an extra outside rush from that side, that should lead to an easy completion (so we have a low priority to block that rusher, QB will take care of him).
What is a Down player? Anyone that aligns on or near the LOS. So anyone with their hand in the dirt is a down player, but also a LB walked up on the LOS is a Down player. WE MUST BLOCK DOWN DEFENDERS FIRST!!! The priority with Down players is inside out, so sometimes an end can be left unblocked if there are 6 Down players ( the goal is to leave the end to the 3 WR side free due to our possible advantage to that side).
What if a Down player backs out into coverage? Who ever was in charge of blocking that Down player must now drop and scan inside out for MDM. If you do not have an immediate threat by a Down player, you will take a post step inside and vertical set, scanning inside out for the most dangerous threat to your side. It could be a MLB, OLB. or even a safety blitzing off the edge.
Finally, all the OL must decide who they must block or set to block and then communicate to one another who has who or signal a MDM that may come down to become a Down player. Everyone needs to be on the same page before the ball is snapped.
Obviously, the fundamentals of pass protection are in play with this protection and must be followed as far as Stance, Steps, and Strike. Here is my article on those 3 S's of Pass Protection.
I am going to give you some examples of where the 5 steps are used to identify the OL responsibilities and then are executed:
3-Man Fronts
With any 3-Man front, you are probably looking at BOB blocking by the Center and Tackles and the Guards will be post/vert setting, scanning inside out for any blitzers. If no blitz comes, then the Guards will find work and help one of the BOB blockers.
If a LB walks up to the line to blitz, then a couple of things can be called. If it is an ILB, then the Guard to that side should take him with BOB blocking. If it is an OLB that his outside of the OT, then the OT should call "Overhang". From there, either the T and G can slide protect if they feel no threat from the inside or the G can post/vert set to get the OLB. The post/vert set is overall safer, but if the OLB is fast and athletic, you better get a good set.
If 2 LBs walk up to the line to blitz on the same side, a gap call can be made. That will slide the OL to a side and the backside OT will post/vert set and take first threat. The slide can be called to a specific side or always away from trips side of formation. The slide/gap call can be game planned on where the slide goes.
If they are bringing the house and we are not sure who blitzing or where they are blitzing, we are all going to post/vert set and take the interior 5 defenders that come (a "Safe" call). Some of the line will end up BOB blocking, others will be vertical setting and picking up an outside rush.
4-Man Fronts
With any 4-Man front, you are probably looking at BOB blocking by the entire line, except for whoever is not covered by the Nose. Whoever is not covered, will be post/vert set to help with Nose, then look ILB(s) to OLBs.
If a LB walks up to blitz, then a couple of things can be called, depending on the defensive alignment. If it is a 5 man box, then the uncovered OL will help pick up the LB, either with BOB blocking or sliding to pick it up. If the LB is blitzing from outside, then a gap call can be made to pick it up.
If 2 LBs walk to the line to blitz, a gap call can be made. With the gap call, things are slightly different with a 4-Man front. If the slide is called to the 3 tech side, the BSG will slide and the BST will post/vert set to take 1st inside threat. If the slide is called to the shade/2i, the BSG has to now post/vert set to account for him being covered by a down defender. A general rule for a BSG with slide protection is that if you are covered you are either BOB or post/vert set; if you are uncovered, you become part of the slide. The BST will always be BOB or post/vert set on a slide protection.
Again, if all else fails and they look like they are bringing the house, call "Safe" and take the interior 5 defenders and work out.
5-Man Fronts
Well...not much you or the defense can do there! LOL, I am only putting this in because I have actually seen this is in a game before. We are talking about a double eagle look, sometimes with a single LB stacked over Nose. The only thing is to go BOB across the board or go "Safe" in case you think the LB might blitz with a stunt. Gap can be called but it will put BST in a tough spot.
Bottom line...you have to be able to communicate and work together to get the job done with Empty Pass Protection. The QB has to understand the limitations of the protection and who could possibly be left unblocked.
Next time, I will be looking at 6-Man protections and how they are used. Some basic fundamentals of Empty pass protection carries over to the 6-Man protection.
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