This is my description of how the professionals play American Football (in case you want to watch the Superbowl tonight). I am no expert but reading through another thread made me realize how confusing the sport is when a bunch of people are all trying to explain it to you at the same time. I make no promises that I'll do a better job, but that's my goal.
First a few basic pieces of information about the field and scoring:
1) There are two teams playing. At any given time, one has possession of the ball and the other is on defense. As the game progresses the teams switch between offense and defense. If team A is targetting the end zone at the East end of the field, then team B is targetting the end zone at the West end of the field, and vice versa. The direction each team targets changes after each quarter/half, but it doesn't matter much except for wind. There are 4 quarters and 2 halves... although the end of the 1st and 3rd quarter don't matter that much. After the half, the offensive of whoever has the ball stops, so the team will desperately try to score before the clock runs out.
2) The field is 100 yards long. At each end of the field is an 'end zone' which is 10 yards long. See the diagram:
3) There are several ways to score. The best way is for someone carrying the ball to run past the goal line into the end zone (touchdown, worth 6 points). Also, a receiver can catch the ball while standing in the end zone. Another way is for a kicker to kick the ball through the field goal (worth 3 points), seen here:
4) If you score a touchdown, you then get a chance to make a field goal in addition, but it's only worth 1 point this time. Usually, when a team gets a touchdown, they then get a field goal also, which is worth a total of 7 points.
5) If you get tackled in your own end zone (as opposed to the other end zone which you are trying to run towards) it is a 'safety' and your opponent gets 2 points.
How the game is played
After a coin toss, one team is selected to kick off and the other team receives. The kicker kicks the ball as far as he can, and then his teammates run towards the receiving team to tackle them as soon as possible. The receiving team catches the ball and runs towards the kicking team's end zone. Either the runner with the ball gets tackled, or the play is settled before the kicking team even gets there.... the details are beyond the scope of this guide but I can answer questions about it. Here is an example where the kicking team actually failed to tackle the receiving team:
Suppose instead that the guy carrying the ball was tackled. That spot is where the receiving team begins their offensive. They have four chances (downs) to advance 10 yards towards the opponent's end zone. If they manage to advance 10+ yards, then their are once again given four chances to advance another 10 yards (first down). This continues until they fail to advance 10 yards or make it close to the opponent's end zone.
After the third down, if the offensive team has not advanced 10 yards yet, then it's their last chance to do so. Usually, the team will punt instead of trying to get the first down. There is a good reason for this. If you are on offense and you punt, then the other team picks up their offense from wherever the guy who catches the ball is tackled. However, if you instead choose to try to get the first down, and you fail, then the other team picks up their offense from the same spot where you started the last play (much closer to your own end zone; bad for you).
How do teams on offense advance? They have a few choices. The play begins when the ball is tossed to the quarterback. The quarterback then either throws the ball to a receiver, hands it off to a runner (running back), or occasionally runs with it himself. Once the ball has crossed the 'line of scrimmage' (the spot where the ball was before the play began), it can no longer be thrown forwards. Occasionally people throw the ball backwards (lateral) but that's not common. So for most plays the ball is either thrown forwards to a receiver or handed to a runner.
Lastly, how does the defensive team get the ball so they can go on the offensive? There are a few ways. The first is if they succeed in defending against the first down, forcing the other team to punt. The second is to 'intercept' the ball. If the quarterback throws a poor pass, then a defender might catch it instead of the receiver... thus turning the ball over to the defensive team. Also, if a running back or the quarterback (or wide receiver) drops the ball while he was in clear possession of it, it is a 'fumble' meaning whoever picks the ball up off the ground gets to go on the offensive.
Conclusion
This is by no means comprehensive. I did not explain what the deal is with flags/penalties, what a touchback is, or many other things. I tried to just focus on the things that you need to know in order to understand what the heck is going on.
Hahaha so many people are clueless..guess it really is mainly an American sport..
And to make note of that, not everyone in America even watches it either. Though it still grabs SO MUCH attention in US that it's crazy, similar to how "Professional Starcraft" can only be a Korean sport.... (despite the fact that it was made by Blizzard which is American...)
On February 08 2010 05:58 Neivler wrote: If a player receives the ball when he is in the endzone, is it still a touchdown then?
Assuming it's the correct endzone, yes. More or less, if the ball crosses the endzone line while still legally in possession of the offensive team, then it is a touchdown. Likewise, if the defensive team catches the ball (an interception) and manages to run into the opposite endzone, they will get a touchdown.
Also might want to note that a safety is especially bad because not only does the other team get points, they get the ball afterward as opposed to a normal score which gives the ball to the defense.
Hahaha so many people are clueless..guess it really is mainly an American sport..
And to make note of that, not everyone in America even watches it either. Though it still grabs SO MUCH attention in US that it's crazy, similar to how "Professional Starcraft" can only be a Korean sport.... (despite the fact that it was made by Blizzard which is American...)
starcraft is not a sport.... it is competitive but in no shape or form is it excercise. seriously, if i were a progamer id be ashamed to call myself a "cyber-athlete"... i would be so embarassed if i had to refer to myself as that
On February 08 2010 06:01 Sauron wrote: This blog's title is misleading
Notice the picture when you first open the blog :3
On February 08 2010 06:04 LordWeird wrote: Also might want to note that a safety is especially bad because not only does the other team get points, they get the ball afterward as opposed to a normal score which gives the ball to the defense.
Yeah I almost mentioned this then decided to leave it out. Good point.
Hahaha so many people are clueless..guess it really is mainly an American sport..
And to make note of that, not everyone in America even watches it either. Though it still grabs SO MUCH attention in US that it's crazy, similar to how "Professional Starcraft" can only be a Korean sport.... (despite the fact that it was made by Blizzard which is American...)
starcraft is not a sport.... it is competitive but in no shape or form is it excercise. seriously, if i were a progamer id be ashamed to call myself a "cyber-athlete"... i would be so embarassed if i had to refer to myself as that
You seem to be representing your opinion of what a sport is as fact...
On February 08 2010 06:35 neobowman wrote: You could just read Eyeshield 21 to figure out the rules. A much more fun way, though it's a bit time consuming.
Eyeshield is so misleading until later on in the series hahaha
Hahaha so many people are clueless..guess it really is mainly an American sport..
And to make note of that, not everyone in America even watches it either. Though it still grabs SO MUCH attention in US that it's crazy, similar to how "Professional Starcraft" can only be a Korean sport.... (despite the fact that it was made by Blizzard which is American...)
starcraft is not a sport.... it is competitive but in no shape or form is it excercise. seriously, if i were a progamer id be ashamed to call myself a "cyber-athlete"... i would be so embarassed if i had to refer to myself as that
Everyone has their own standards for what defines a "sport."
Shooting is in the olympics, and I burn more calories making myself a bowl of cereal in the morning than the "athletes" in that sport do.
Am I going to diss the players and say they should be embarrassed to call them selves Olympic athletes?
No. Because I can actually respect the fact that they are extremely talented individuals and it's fun to watch them preform in competition.
EPT
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