Football is a team sport in which players try to advance the ball down the field by running with it, throwing it to receivers or kicking it through a structure called the goal posts. Players must do this while the other team tries to stop them by knocking them down or taking the ball away from them. The first team to get the ball into its opponent’s end zone wins a touchdown, which is worth six points. Kicking a ball through the goal posts earns three points (a field goal). The team can also opt to go for two points by running or throwing the ball into its own end zone, but this is rare and usually only done on special circumstances.
The offensive team has 11 players on the field at any time, and they range in size from larger, taller players to smaller, faster ones. The quarterback, or “QB”, is the leader of the offense and outlines each play for the rest of the team. The center snaps the ball to the QB, who aims to pass or hand off the ball to a running back for yardage. Receivers — either wide or tight ends — catch balls thrown by the QB, and they also run downfield for yards and block. A running back can be a tailback, halfback or fullback, depending on the team’s formation and position on the field.
After each play, officials determine how many yards a team has gained or lost, and they mark the line of scrimmage on the field to designate that 10-yard point a team must reach in order to receive another down. The official will then decide whether to allow the offense to move forward on its next play.
If the offense moves forward past the line of scrimmage on its next play, it will earn a first down. Then the team has four downs to gain 10 yards and score a touchdown.
After each down, the ball will be placed at the opponent’s 2-yard line. The offense can then attempt to kick the ball over the cross bar and through the goal posts for one point (an extra point or a point after touchdown, PAT), or run or throw the ball into the end zone for two points (a touchdown).