I don’t get…football
Okay, so what is this sport all about? In the most basic form, the object is to walk away with more points than the other guy. ESPN and other game day programs may want to dissect it to the most intricate details, but bottom line is, the winning team got the ball over the line more times than their opponent.
Here’s what’s happening during the game:
1. The two teams on the field share a common goal: get the ball in the other’s end zone. At any given time, there is an offense (the team with the ball) and a defense (the team trying to stop the other team and get the ball back). Both sides consist of 11 men.
2. The offense’s leader is the quarterback. He will call in the play (the plan to move the ball closer to the end zone) to his team. The center is the man who sets the ball in motion by snapping (or handing) it to the quarterback. Each player, having practiced the play over and over again, acts out his role. The four linemen and the center will become a wall in front of the quarterback to keep the defensive players from tackling him. Hopefully, this wall will allow give the qb (quarterback) enough time to make the play work.
3. He has three options at this point. He can hand it off to the running back (the player who runs the football); he can pass it to a receiver (the player who catches the ball) or keep it himself and try to run (or scramble) up field away from the defense. Usually, the coach will “call the play”, or decide which plan will work best.
4. Now, while the offense is trying to move the ball closer to the end zone, the defense is doing everything they can to stop the drive. The drive refers to the series when the offense has the ball. You will hear terms such as rushes, blitzes and incomplete passes when describing the defense. This just means that they stopped or disrupted the offense’s play.
5. The field is marked with white lines. These parallel lines are 5 yards apart. You will notice that the numbers on the field are in increments of 10. Though the object of the game is to score, not all plays are designed to do so. An offense has (4) downs to go at least 10 yards. As soon as they have gone the 10 yards, no matter which down they are on, they get what is called, a fresh set of downs, or 4 more. So the quarterback may systematically march his team down the field, picking up fresh sets of downs here and there and running 9 plays, or he can throw the ball to a receiver 50 yards away and wind up scoring on one play.
6. If a team does not get the 10 yards before using up the 4 downs, they will have to turn the ball over to the defense at the exact same place on the field and their offense will take over but go in the opposite direction. This is why you see a punter come out on the field at 4th down to kick the ball down the field so the other team will have farther to go.
7. A field goal is also an option. A kicker is different from a punter in that he has a more precise kick whereas the punter is all about the power. If a team has moved the ball down the field and is in their kicker’s “range”, they will usually go for the field goal on 4th down. The typical range for a kicker is from about 45-48 yards away from the goal post. If the kicker is successful, they will score 3 points.
8. After a team has scored with a touchdown (6 points), the kicker will also kick for one more point. A lot of times, this is referred to as a P.A.T., or point after touchdown. Most kickers make this kick because the attempt is from the 3rd yard line. It is a rare to see one missed, but sometimes the defense can block it.
9. A two-point conversation is also rare, but can help seal the victory for a team. Like a P.A.T., this takes place after a touchdown. The offense gets the ball on the 3-yard line, just like a kick, but they must try another play to run or pass into the end zone. This is much more difficult. If they don’t get in, they will forfeit the extra points.
10.When a team scores by either a field goal or touchdown, they have to kick-off to the other team and it starts all over again!