Learn the rules of NFL football

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Learn the rules of NFL football
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Basic rules of the game

• The goal of football is to score more points than
  the other team
• The team with more points wins
• Rules in the NFL
• The best teams go on to the playoffs
• If you lose in the playoffs, you are out
• The team that wins the final game, the Super
  Bowl, is the champion of the league

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Basic rules of the game (cont.)

• Teams advance down the field on plays
• A play is a plan of action, or strategy used
  to move the ball down the field. A play occurs
  at either a snap or a kickoff,
• There are four quarters. The game resets with a
  kickoff at the end of the 2nd quarter, and at the
  end of the 4th quarter if it is tied
• In the other quarters, play continues after

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The field

• Football is played on a 120-yard field
• 20 yards are the end-zones, where you score, and
  the other 100 yards make up the playing field
• There are uprights, shown in the top right, on
  either side of the field

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Rules of playing

• The ball has to be brought down the field to
  score
• This can be achieved by running with the ball, or
  throwing it down the field
• While the offense is attacking, the defense is
  trying to stop them
• On a throw, if the ball touches the ground and
  nobody touches it, then the play is dead
• On a run, if the ball is dropped by the runner,
  then it is a loose ball and anybody can pick it
  up
• Four downs, or plays are given to each team to
  get 10 yards
• Once the reach the 10 yards, it goes back to
  first down and the team has 10 yards again
• If the team is on their fourth down, then they
  can choose to punt the ball away to the other
  team, giving the other team more distance to
  travel on the field
• Then the other team can come on offense
• The game consists of four quarters, each 15
  minutes long

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When does the play end?

• Plays can end in 6 different ways
• The player steps out of bounds
• A pass is dropped (hits the ground)
• A player is tackled with the ball
• A player scores
• A field goal is missed
• A fumbled ball goes out of bounds
• A punt goes out of bounds, or into the end zone
• When the play ends, a whistle is blown.
• The game clock (time) is stopped in all of these
  instances except number 3
• A player is tackled when his knee or elbow or
  entire body touches the ground. He is allowed to
  use his arms and legs

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Scoring

• There are 5 different ways to score in football
• Touchdown- Running into the end zone with the
  ball, or catching a ball in the end zone, awards
  6 points
• Extra point- A kick through the uprights after a
  touchdown from the 15 yard line, awards 1
  additional point
• 2-Point Conversion- Going into the end zone after
  scoring a touchdown, instead of kicking the extra
  point, awards 2 additional points. This is
  usually considered more risky and only used in
  tight games where the extra one point matters
• Field Goal- Kicking the ball through the
  uprights, usually on fourth down or with little
  time left, awards 3 points
• Safety- Tackling the opponent in their own end
  zone, awards 2 points

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Positions- Offense

• There are 5 basic positions on offense
• Quarterback- Throws the ball, and hands it off
  to running backs
• Wide Receiver- A really fast player catches the
  quarterbacks throws
• Running Back- Runs with the ball after having it
  handed to him by the quarterback
• Tight End- Like a wide receiver, but is stronger,
  and better at blocking
• Offensive Lineman- A blocker for the quarterback
  or running back

Quarterback
Wide Receiver
Running Back
Tight End
Offensive Lineman
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Positions- Defense

• There are 4 basic positions on defense
• Defensive Lineman- Big people who rush the
  quarterback and try to tackle him before he
  throws
• Linebacker- Medium people who are fast and strong
  that sometimes rush the quarterback and sometimes
  try to defend receivers so they cant catch the
  ball
• Cornerback- Smaller players who defend receivers
• Safety- Smaller players who usually just defend
  zones instead of players

Defensive Lineman
Linebacker
Cornerback
Safety
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Positions- Special Teams

• There are 4 basic positions on defense
• Kicker- Kicks field goals, extra points, and
  kickoffs
• Punter- Punts the ball to the other team on
  fourth downs
• Kick returner- Returns kickoffs and
• tries to run as far as he can towards
• the end zone
• Punt returner- Returns punts, and does the same
  thing as the kick returner

Kicker
Punter
Kick Returner
Punt Returner
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Turnovers

• There are 3 different types of turnovers in
  football
• Fumble- If a player drops the ball after he has
  had possession of it (not just dropping a pass),
  then he has fumbled and the defense can pick the
  ball up. The defense can return it and then they
  go on offense
• Interception- If the quarterback makes a bad
  throw, and a defender catches it and returns it,
  his team goes on offense at where he was tackled
• Turnover on downs- If a team tried to go for a
  4th down, and they dont make it, the other team
  gets the ball

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Penalties

• There are so many penalties in football.
  Whenever there is a penalty, the referee throws a
  yellow flag. Here are some common penalties
• Offsides- When the defense runs past the
  offensive line before the play starts. The
  offense advances 5 yards and replays the play
• False start- When the offensive line moves before
  the play starts. The offense loses 5 yards but
  gets to redo the play
• Holding- Both on offense and defense. It is when
  blockers hold onto the player he is blocking so
  he cant move. Offensive holding sends the
  offense back 10 yards, and defensive holding
  bring the offense forward 5 yards. Both replay
  the play.
• Pass interference- Both on offense and defense.
  When the ball is in the air, and the receiver and
  defender are fighting for it. One pushes the
  other out of the way intentionally. With
  defensive pass interference, it is often declined
  if the receiver catches the ball and advances.
  The penalty sends the offense to the spot where
  it took place. It also resets the play to first
  down. It acts as if the player caught it.
  Offensive pass interference sends the offense
  back 10 yards. It keeps the down the same.
• Face Mask- When the defense grabs an offensive
  player by the mask on his helmet to tackle him.
  Awards the offence with 15 yards and a replay on
  the down
• Delay of game- When the offense takes to long to
  snap the ball and start the play. This sends
  them back 5 yards.
• Unnecessary Roughness- When a defender is too
  rough with the person they are tackling after
  they already tackled them. Offense advances 15
  yards and receives automatic first down