Basics of American Football
In American Football there are three main teams, offense, defense and special teams. The offense is in charge of scoring touchdowns and field goals, the defense ensures that the other team doesn’t score and special teams are used to change field positions. The game is played on a 100-yard long field with end zones at both ends, yard lines every five yards and a midfield line at the 50-yard mark. There are two teams of 11 players playing against each other.
The game starts with a kickoff, a player on the kicking team puts the ball on a tee and kicks it as far as possible. The team that catches the ball will then come onto the field and start their offensive play. After this the defensive and special teams will get on the field for both sides.
Each team gets four attempts, or downs, to advance the ball 10 yards or more. A play, or down, is over when the ball goes down on the ground, a player is tackled, or the ball is kicked out of bounds. The current down is shown on the scoreboard with a number that tells you which one it is (for example first and four).
When a team has the ball, players can gain yards by running, throwing, or handing the ball to a running back or fullback. However, only certain players are allowed to touch the ball during basic play: quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. The rest of the players are on the offensive line called the “O-line” and they must block opposing players from tackling the ball carriers.
The O-line is also responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback at the beginning of each play. The quarterback then either throws or runs with the ball. The O-line can also “pass block” so the quarterback has time to pass, or “run block” so the running back and fullback can run with the ball for yardage.
In addition to running the ball, other ways for a team to score are by kicking a field goal or getting a safety. A field goal is a kick, worth one point, that is attempted after each touchdown. A safety is scored when a defensive player tackles the ball carrier in their own end zone. The goal is attempted from the 2-yard line in the NFL, 3-yard line in college and high school football, and the 10-yard line in the NCAA.