Football FAQ
At
first glance, newcomers to American football see 22 very big men pounding
the living daylights out of each other before taking a quick breather
and then continue the beatings for three painful hours.
However, while initially looking complex, American
football is relatively easy to follow and involves a high degree of
tactics as players attempt to out-think the opposition in a sport that
actually requires as much mental guile, speed of thought and skill as
brute strength and muscle.
What
is the aim of the game?
To score more points than the opposition.
How is this achieved?
Teams attempt to move the ball downfield by one of two methods:
- Running the ball
- Passing the ball
All progress in American
football is measured in yards. Each time a team gets the ball, their
offense has four downs or chances to gain 10 yards. If the offensive
team successfully gains 10 yards or more, they earn a first down and
another four chances to move the ball 10 yards down the field. And
so on.
What
are the key rules on passing plays?
-
There may only be one
forward pass per play
-
A receiver who has
been forced off the pitch by a defender cannot catch the pass as
he runs back onto the field
- Receivers must have
control of the football and get both feet down in the field of
play to have completed a 'catch'
-
Defenders can touch
receivers and tight ends within the first 5 yards of the line but
any contact after that is deemed illegal and will result in a penalty
-
The quarterback must
be behind the line of scrimmage to attempt a pass
-
Team mates are allowed
to block opposing defenders to protect the quarterback as he passes
downfield and to create running room for a receiver after he catches
the ball
What
are the key rules on running plays?
-
A running back can
complete as many lateral passes (as in rugby) as he likes, although
this is considered a risky act in the NFL
-
Team mates are allowed
to block opposing defenders to create running lanes for a ball carrier,
but they cannot block defenders in the back or from behind
-
When a quarterback
runs beyond the line of scrimmage it is considered a running play
and he can no longer throw a forward pass
The Defence
The
defence tries to prevent the offense not only for scoring, but
also from gaining 10 yards needed to pick up a first down. If
the offense reaches fourth down, it will usually punt the ball
away, forcing the opponents to begin their drive further down
the field.
There are two quick ways for a defence to get the ball back from the
opposing offense:
Fumble recovery – a fumble occurs when the ball carrier or passer
drops the ball on the ground. Any player can recover the ball by diving
on it or he can pick it up and run with it. The team that recovers the
fumble gets possession of the football. (Note: It is not a fumble when
a wide receiver drops a pass. A fumble only occurs when the ball is dropped
after the player has gained full control of the football).
Interception – an aggressive defence can regain possession of the
ball for their offense by catching (intercepting) passes meant for players
on the other team.
Fumble recoveries and interceptions (known as turnovers) can be run back
into the opposing team's end zone for touchdowns.
Info taken from NFLUK.COM
