Linebackers and safeties play on the same side of the football field. They are defensive players responsible for making tackles and intercepting passes, but those are the only similarities. A linebacker plays closer to the line of scrimmage and his primary responsibility is tackling the running back. A safety plays behind the linebacker and his primary responsibility is stopping the passing game,
Line It Up
Linebackers are among the toughest players on the football field, for good reason. Playing directly behind the defensive line, linebackers make the majority of the tackles when the offense runs the football. It's a tough assignment because the linebackers -- and there are typically either three or four in the 11-man defense -- often have to shed at least one block before making contact with the ball carrier.
Play it Safe
In the defensive backfield, you usually will find two safeties and two cornerbacks. The safeties play in the middle of the field and their main assignment is covering wide receivers who venture away from the sidelines. A safety is expected to be a strong tackler like a linebacker, but a safety often is a better athlete because he has to be fast enough to run and cover a fleet wide receiver and strong enough to come up and make a tackle should the running back slip past the defensive line and linebacker.
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Role Playing
At all levels of football, from beginning to the NFL, defenses are becoming more and more sophisticated. Yes, a linebacker is expected to stay close to the line of scrimmage and make tackles, but now you see them drop back into pass coverage from time to time. That typically happens when the safety comes up close to the line of scrimmage to "blitz," or rush the quarterback. The outside linebackers are the usual blitzers, but when they drop back into pass coverage and are replaced by the safeties, the offense often becomes confused and the play breaks down.
Size Matters
For the most part, a linebacker plays close to the line of scrimmage and has to get off blocks delivered by massive offensive linemen. It is not uncommon to see offensive tackles, guards and centers weigh well over 300 lbs., even at the high school level. That means a linebacker has to be big and strong to stay competitive. A safety, on the other hand, typically is smaller and more athletic because he has to be able to run and cover wide receivers.
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