Some aspects of good defense are universal and not limited to football – or even sports. The ability to defend a territory requires a strategic approach coupled with effective tactics.

Concepts such as a first line of defense, last line of defense, containment and blitzing are not confined to the gridiron. Rather, such concepts are parts of universal strategic thinking, ranging from asset management to chess to even real battlefield situations.

Defense requires mobility. A solid structure such as Maginot Line – France’s heavily-fortified line of defense in World War II which Germany easily navigated around – often proves ineffective.

Therefore, good defenses cannot rely strictly on strong but slow-moving pieces. While the offense tries to outflank the defense, the defense should be in a good position to contain any such attacks.

Defense also incorporates the element of surprise. A good defense should be in a situation to counterattack in order to change the momentum. In football, this can come by blitzing the quarterback or trying to pressure the offense into a turnover, potentially resulting in a safety or defensive touchdown.

The world of finance also has shown defensive moves can be productive.

Central banks need to defend the value of their currency. In January 2015, the Swiss National Bank changed the status of the franc, the Swiss denomination typically portrayed as a safe, stable investment.

Previously, the value of the franc was tied to the value of the euro. By suddenly unpegging the franc from the euro, the Swiss National Bank caught the market off-guard. The defensive move paid big dividends as the value of the franc relative to the euro quickly rose 30 percent.

Defense also requires versatility. Football players should be in a position to defend both the run and the pass. They need to develop skills to drop back into coverage as much as being able to step up toward the line of scrimmage.  

This also plays out in the game of chess. Each piece has a different range of motion. A pawn may move only one square at a time and only in one direction. On the other hand, a queen can move as far as she would like in any direction. However, both serve their purpose.

While a chess player needs to coordinate the different abilities of each piece to create a cohesive strategy on the board, a defensive coordinator also needs to generate synergies by different sized and skilled players contributing at different positions.  

While a cornerback might way 190 pounds, a defensive tackle could weigh 295 pounds. A cornerback can cover much more ground in short period of time thanks to his or her superior agility compared to a defensive tackle. However, the defensive tackle is critical in working up front to stop the inside run, something many cornerbacks struggle mightily at.

Whether within the sport of football or another part of life, good defense starts with a solid playbook and moves that are practical to implement. 

Bora Tamer Yilmaz is an American football coach in Istanbul, Turkey. He is a coach with the Janissary Under-19 football team, part of the Bogazici Sultans sponsored by Turkish Airlines. You can follow him on Twitter @batarya. Onur Duzco contributed to this article.