During a football game, players attempt to kick, pass, or dribble the ball toward the other team’s goal. If the ball crosses the plane of the goal line, the offensive team scores a touchdown. If it flies out of bounds, the offensive team loses the ball. The team that scores the most goals wins the game.
A football field is about 160 feet wide, and has 10-yard end zones for each team. The center of the field is the 50-yard line, and the hash marks, or shorter lines, are ten yards apart. The team that scores a touchdown is given a bonus to add additional points to the score. The goal is to score a touchdown and score enough points to win the game.
The play begins with a snap. A player on the offensive team lines up near the opponent’s line of scrimmage. The defensive players line up in front of the offensive players. A referee blows a whistle to notify the players that the ball is in play. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In some games, the referee is assisted by a fourth official.
The offensive team is given four attempts to gain 10 yards. If the team fails to score a touchdown, it can choose to go for a two-point conversion. The team that chooses to go for two extra points will line up at the two-yard line. The player who is the ball carrier can run with the ball until he or she is tackled out of bounds or is tackled in the end zone. In some games, the defense gets the ball at the spot where the previous play began.
The ball carrier is the player who is usually the offensive centre, but may also be the quarterback. If the ball carrier fumbles the ball, the defensive team will have the ball at the spot where the ball went down. The offensive team must regain control of the ball before it can be kicked. If the ball is kicked out of bounds or tackled in the end zone, the offensive team loses the ball and the play ends. The team that makes it will receive a touchdown and the other team will receive a safety.
The defensive players cover the offensive players and try to stop the other team from moving the ball. The offensive team tries to run with the ball toward the end zone. The players can switch positions at any time. If the offensive player fails to catch the ball in the end zone, the play is ruled a safety.
A touchdown is the biggest offensive goal. When the ball crosses the plane of the goal line, the offensive team scores a touchdown. In the NFL, the team that scores a touchdown will also attempt to kick the ball through the goal posts. The touchdown is equivalent to two points in the NFL, and is also called an extra point. In some games, the team that scores a touchdown will attempt to kick the ball through the goal posts from the opponent’s 2-yard line. In other games, the kicker will try to kick the ball through the goal posts from a different location.