Michael Lewis, famous for his work Moneyball, went in a different direction for this book. The Blind Side, Evolution of a Game, is an investigation into the transformation of the game of football, looking specifically at the left tackle and the defensive end. It is, what the title says it is, an look at how the tactics of the blind side of the quarterback have completely changed football in the last twenty years.

It all started with Lawrence Taylor: LT re-defined the game of football, he single handedly changed games from the defensive side of the ball, something that had never been done before. Lewis makes note of this, and uses it as a base for his exploration of the change of the game. Lawrence Taylor was so dominant because he was attacking the blind side of the offense, which was easily exploited. This occurred because of a lack of specialization on the offensive line. The best athletes on defense were matched up against mediocre offensive linemen and bad things resulted for the quarterback.

From here though, Lewis must jump back to analyze why Lawrence Taylor was even around to wreck such havoc. He arrives at this result by analyzing what Bill Walsh contributed to the game of football. It was Walsh’s West Coast Offense, says Lewis, that caused the need for a preeminent pass rusher. The blind side, suddenly became the optimal point of attack. Because of this flaw, offenses now had to game plan to block the defensive end, and the left tackle suddenly became one of the highest paid positions in the NFL.

Lewis chronicles this story not with boring facts, or old anecdotes, but with an examination into the life of Michael Oher. Oher is a unique story, a poor black kid who grew up in Memphis and was adopted by a highly affluent white family. He is a physical phenom and was scouted as the premier high school left tackle. Lewis examines the life of Michael Oher, and how he has a chance because of the evolution of the game of football. Without the high prominence of left tackles, Oher would never have had a chance. This tracking of Oher’s life also is a tracking of football from the ground up. From high school football, to the politics involved in recruiting, to the process of playing college football, Lewis does a great job of telling the reader many stories simultaneously.

This book is the emotional story behind the journey of Michael Oher. It is hard to comprehend the struggles that he has gone through. It not only gives the reader a glimpse into how football has changed, it also gives a look into the social struggles in the city of Memphis. These social divides seem to be prominent not just in Memphis, but in most other urban areas, and while this is a book about football, it is also a book about life. So even for those who aren’t looking for a complex analysis of changes in football, there is something in this book. I highly recommend it to everyone who has any interest in football.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5