What Is a Two Minute Drill in Football?
A two minute drill is the offense's push to score in the last two minutes of a half. The two minute drill game turns that moment into something you can play, so it helps to know what a real two minute drill asks of a team.
Why the last two minutes are special in the two minute drill game
Time is the scarce resource. A normal drive can use five minutes. In a two minute drill the offense has about 120 seconds, so every snap, timeout and out-of-bounds catch matters as much as yards in a real game and in the two minute drill game. That tension is the whole point of the two minute drill game.
What teams do differently
- Hurry up: they skip the huddle and snap quickly, which is the Hurry tempo in the two minute drill game.
- Throw to the sidelines: a catch out of bounds stops the clock, so outs and sideline throws are popular.
- Use timeouts: a timeout saves time but never gives back time already used.
- Spike the ball: an intentional throw into the ground stops the clock at the cost of a down.
The defense has a plan too in the two minute drill game
The defense often drops into prevent coverage to avoid the deep ball, giving up short gains. In the two minute drill game you can coach that side as well, which is why the defensive calls matter.
Two min drill meaning and where the term comes from
Coaches say two minute drill, two min drill or two-minute offense for the same thing: a hurry-up plan for the last two minutes before halftime and before the end of the game. The NFL's two-minute warning stops the clock at 2:00 in the second and fourth quarters, which gives both sides a chance to set up the final stretch. Teams also rehearse the situation in practice, so the phrase is used for the drill as well as the game moment. See exactly what stops the clock for the rules.
Two minute drill game versus other formats
You may know the term from an old television quiz show, from the arcade throwing game or from video games where you steer a quarterback. This two minute drill game is different: it is a decision game. You call the play, the simulation plays it out with real NFL results behind it.
How to practice the two minute drill game
Open the two minute drill game, choose Practice and pick the Comeback situation. Try a hurry-up approach, then replay the same type of drill with a slower tempo and compare the coach review.