Ever watch sportsmen in helmets go after each other for a little oval shaped ball on television or ever been in a situation where you are at a gathering or at a official party in the USA and your colleagues are using jargon such as Quarterback, Running Back, Patriots, 49ers, Chargers, Broncos, NFC, AFC, Super Bowl, 4th quarter, 4th and 1, 5 seconds to go etc? Has this lingo ever evoked a volley of questions while piquing your curiosity; “Are they talking about American football?”, “Why are these people so passionate about such a physical sport?”, “Wish I knew a little more about this game” and “Why is it called football when they hardly use their foot?” Here is a brief overview about American Football.
History:
American Football was derived from Rugby; various versions of football were played in the US since 1850. In 1873, the Intercollegiate Football Association consolidated many disparate rules to have one version. These rules underwent many revisions and by 1882, the rules were well evolved to resemble the present day rules. The first professional football game was played in 1892. The NFL or National Football League was formed in 1920.
The Field:
• The playing field is 100 yards, with stripes running across the field every 5 yards (field also called Gridiron for this reason)
• On each end of the playing field is a 10 yard zone (marked with diagonal lines) called the end zone
• The total field is 120 yards long by 160 yards wide
• In addition to the 5 and 10 yard, lines there are the "hash marks", a series of lines marked at every yard down either side of the centre of the field. These lines are used by the officials for placing the ball down prior to the start of each play.
• The goalposts are set on the back line of the end zone. The front line of the end zone is called the goal line.
Teams:
• A football team consists of three units, Offense, Defense and Special Team
• Each team is allowed eleven players on the field at a time. There can be unlimited substitutions provided the ball is dead (end of a play).
• If a team has the possession of the ball, its offensive unit is on the field.
• The Offense uses a wide variety of "plays" to achieve its objectives using regular changes in team line up for "running plays" or "passing plays".
• The Offense uses a wide variety of "plays" by making regular changes in team line up for "running plays" or "passing plays" to advance the ball to the opponent’s end zone.
• Offense is lead by the Quarterback (QB). The QB at the start of a play can either hands the ball over to the Running Back (RB), who runs with the ball, or throws the ball to the Wide Receivers (WR).
• The team, which tries to prevent the offensive unit from advancing, has its defensive unit on the field.
• If any of the team is kicking the ball (kick-offs, field goal attempts and extra point attempts), then special team unit of both the teams are on the field.
The Objective:
• The object of the game is simply to score more points than your opponents’ by either crossing your opponent’s end zone with the ball (touchdown), or by kicking field goals (field goal).
The Game:
• The game starts with one team kicking the ball off to the other also known as “kick-off”
• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far back toward the kicking team as possible
• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), or makes it all the way to the kicking team's end zone (touchdown).
• The spot where the kick returner is tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The ‘line of scrimmage’ is a term used for the place where the ball is spotted before a play is run. This establishes the starting point of the game.
• The Offense and Defense line up at the "line of scrimmage" prior to each play.
• The Objective of the Offense is to gain a minimum of 10 yards in four attempts (known as "downs").
• If the offense makes the 10yards on any of the four plays, it automatically begins another sequence of four downs to achieve 10 yards. This is known as "first down".
• A team keeps possession of the ball until either it fumbles it (drops it), fails to make 10 yards progress in four attempts or the ball is caught by the opposing team.
• If the Offense believes that it cannot make the 10 yards on fourth down it, will punt kick the ball deep into the opponents’ territory and the opponents’ Offensive team takes possession.
• At each play, the defense seeks to prevent the yardage being gained or to take possession of the ball by creating a "fumble" (the offense dropping the ball) or an "interception" (where a pass is caught by the defender rather than the intended receiver).
• If a receiver does not catch a ball and it touches the ground, either directly or when knocked down by a defender, then the pass is ruled "incomplete" and the Offense keeps the ball for the next down at the same line of scrimmage from the previous one.
• Both Offense and Defense can score because the Defense may re-gain possession of the ball during play as the result of a mistake by the opposite offense.
An Example:
• The first play of a series is called first-and-ten because it is the first down and 10 yards are needed to receive a new set of four down.
• Suppose on the first play, the team on offense picks up three yards. The next play would then be second-and-seven, because it is second play of the set and they still need seven yards to get a first down.
• If they were to pick up six yards on the second play, it would leave them one yard shy of the first down marker, therefore setting up a third-and-one situation. Third-and-one because it would be the third play of the series and they would still need one yard to get a first down.
Scoring:
The methods in which you can score points are tabulated below:
Touchdown - Carrying the ball or receiving the ball in the opponents end-zone - 6 pts
Extra Point - A play after a touchdown when the ball is kicked between the post - 1 pt
Extra Points - A play after a touchdown when the ball is passed or carried into the end zone - 2 pts
Field Goal - A Goal kicked normally on 4th down when the offense does not believe they can make 1st down - 3 pts
Safety - When an Offensive player is tackled in possession in his own end zone - 2 pts
Hopefully, this small introduction to this very interesting game will help you with all the “overhead transmission” that tends to happen when someone is talking about American Football.
References:
http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_football101.htm
• The playing field is 100 yards, with stripes running across the field every 5 yards (field also called Gridiron for this reason)
• On each end of the playing field is a 10 yard zone (marked with diagonal lines) called the end zone
• The total field is 120 yards long by 160 yards wide
• In addition to the 5 and 10 yard, lines there are the "hash marks", a series of lines marked at every yard down either side of the centre of the field. These lines are used by the officials for placing the ball down prior to the start of each play.
• The goalposts are set on the back line of the end zone. The front line of the end zone is called the goal line.
Teams:
• A football team consists of three units, Offense, Defense and Special Team
• Each team is allowed eleven players on the field at a time. There can be unlimited substitutions provided the ball is dead (end of a play).
• If a team has the possession of the ball, its offensive unit is on the field.
• The Offense uses a wide variety of "plays" to achieve its objectives using regular changes in team line up for "running plays" or "passing plays".
• The Offense uses a wide variety of "plays" by making regular changes in team line up for "running plays" or "passing plays" to advance the ball to the opponent’s end zone.
• Offense is lead by the Quarterback (QB). The QB at the start of a play can either hands the ball over to the Running Back (RB), who runs with the ball, or throws the ball to the Wide Receivers (WR).
• The team, which tries to prevent the offensive unit from advancing, has its defensive unit on the field.
• If any of the team is kicking the ball (kick-offs, field goal attempts and extra point attempts), then special team unit of both the teams are on the field.
The Objective:
• The object of the game is simply to score more points than your opponents’ by either crossing your opponent’s end zone with the ball (touchdown), or by kicking field goals (field goal).
The Game:
• The game starts with one team kicking the ball off to the other also known as “kick-off”
• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far back toward the kicking team as possible
• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), or makes it all the way to the kicking team's end zone (touchdown).
• The spot where the kick returner is tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The ‘line of scrimmage’ is a term used for the place where the ball is spotted before a play is run. This establishes the starting point of the game.
• The Offense and Defense line up at the "line of scrimmage" prior to each play.
• The Objective of the Offense is to gain a minimum of 10 yards in four attempts (known as "downs").
• If the offense makes the 10yards on any of the four plays, it automatically begins another sequence of four downs to achieve 10 yards. This is known as "first down".
• A team keeps possession of the ball until either it fumbles it (drops it), fails to make 10 yards progress in four attempts or the ball is caught by the opposing team.
• If the Offense believes that it cannot make the 10 yards on fourth down it, will punt kick the ball deep into the opponents’ territory and the opponents’ Offensive team takes possession.
• At each play, the defense seeks to prevent the yardage being gained or to take possession of the ball by creating a "fumble" (the offense dropping the ball) or an "interception" (where a pass is caught by the defender rather than the intended receiver).
• If a receiver does not catch a ball and it touches the ground, either directly or when knocked down by a defender, then the pass is ruled "incomplete" and the Offense keeps the ball for the next down at the same line of scrimmage from the previous one.
• Both Offense and Defense can score because the Defense may re-gain possession of the ball during play as the result of a mistake by the opposite offense.
An Example:
• The first play of a series is called first-and-ten because it is the first down and 10 yards are needed to receive a new set of four down.
• Suppose on the first play, the team on offense picks up three yards. The next play would then be second-and-seven, because it is second play of the set and they still need seven yards to get a first down.
• If they were to pick up six yards on the second play, it would leave them one yard shy of the first down marker, therefore setting up a third-and-one situation. Third-and-one because it would be the third play of the series and they would still need one yard to get a first down.
Scoring:
The methods in which you can score points are tabulated below:
Touchdown - Carrying the ball or receiving the ball in the opponents end-zone - 6 pts
Extra Point - A play after a touchdown when the ball is kicked between the post - 1 pt
Extra Points - A play after a touchdown when the ball is passed or carried into the end zone - 2 pts
Field Goal - A Goal kicked normally on 4th down when the offense does not believe they can make 1st down - 3 pts
Safety - When an Offensive player is tackled in possession in his own end zone - 2 pts
Hopefully, this small introduction to this very interesting game will help you with all the “overhead transmission” that tends to happen when someone is talking about American Football.
References:
http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_football101.htm
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