Football is a game played between two teams and it involves running with the ball. Each team has a quarterback who is responsible for throwing the ball to a receiver. Teams also have a lot of big guys who serve as blockers and smaller guys who are good at running with the ball or catching it.
Each team gets four chances, called downs, to move the ball at least 10 yards down the field. If they can’t do it in that time, the ball is turned over to the other team.
The first team to score a touchdown wins the game. There are different ways to score a touchdown, including running with the ball into the end zone (worth 6 points) or throwing it there to a player who catches it (worth 1 point). Another way to score is by kicking a goal through the goal posts, which earns you three points. Teams can also choose to go for a 2-point conversion after scoring a touchdown, but this is much riskier and usually only done on fourth down.
Each play starts with the ball being kicked off by the team that will be doing defense. After that, both teams set up their lines on the field. There are special teams lines for both offense and defense, but some players can be switched from one side to the other during a game, depending on what is needed at that moment.
When a team starts their turn with the ball, they line up on the starting line, which is also called the line of scrimmage. A player on the offensive side of the line (called the “snapper”) holds the ball and another player, called a center, snaps it to the quarterback. The quarterback then throws the ball to a receiver, who tries to run with it or catch it.
The other team’s defensive players try to stop the offensive team from advancing down the field by knocking the players with the ball to the ground or taking the ball away from them. There are several different types of tackles, and some people can even be penalized for tackling an opponent who isn’t holding the ball.
At the end of each quarter and at halftime, the teams change ends of the field, though this does not affect their situation regarding possession, downs remaining and distance to the endzone (the first team to score a touchdown still wins the game, regardless of whether they are ahead or behind). The team that kicks off in the second half is determined by a coin toss.