Football is the most popular spectator sport in the United States. Like with most team sports the goal is to score more points than the other team. There are basic rules that both sides need to follow during competition. Knowing some of the basic rules can help you understand the game better as a spectator.
Scoring
There are different ways a team can score. A touchdown is worth six points and occurs when the double cone shaped football is moved by one team across the goal line into the end zone of the other team. After the touchdown there is an untimed down where the scoring team can kick the ball between two posts behind the end zone for one more point, called an extra point, or try one play from 3 yards away from the end zone for two points. A field goal is worth three points and occurs when a team kicks the ball between the two posts behind the end zone. It is similar to an extra point only it is usually from further away, and the down is timed. A safety awards two points to the defense when the player with the ball is tackled in the opposing team's end zone.
Downs
The offense is the team in possession of the ball, and the defense is the team that is trying to keep the offense from scoring. Both sides have eleven players on the field at a time. The field is 120 yards long including the two end zones and 53.5 yards wide, according to Sportsknowhow.com. Each end zone is 10 yards deep. An imaginary line called the line of scrimmage separates the sides before the play begins. The offense has four downs to gain ten yards. If they fail, the other team gets the ball. If they are successful they get another four downs to gain 10 more yards, Topendsports.com mentions. Typically, if a team does not gain ten yards in the first three downs they kick the ball to the other team. This gives the other team the ball, but makes it so they have longer to go to score. If the offense does not make a first down in three tries but is close to their own end zone, they may elect to kick a field goal for three points.
Timing
The game is limited by a certain amount of time. At all levels the game is divided into four quarters of equal length. In college and pro football quarters are 15 minutes each. In high school they are 12 minutes each. Between quarters two and three there is a halftime where the teams rest and make schematic adjustments. The breaks between quarters one and two, and three and four, are only one minute. If the offensive team runs out of bounds with the ball or throws an incomplete pass the game clock stops. If an offensive player is tackled in bounds the game clock continues running. There is also a play clock that makes teams run another play within a certain amount of time after the previous play ends. This amount of time varies depending on the level and league of football.
Moving the Ball
There are two primary ways an offense can move the ball toward their end zone. The first is to run the ball, the second is to pass the ball. To run the ball the quarterback takes the snap from the center to begin the play. It is at this point that players from both sides can cross the line of scrimmage. The quarter back will then hand the ball to a player lined up behind him, called the running back. This player will run with the ball toward the end zone. The players on defense all try to tackle him to the ground as soon as possible. To gain ground while passing, the quarterback will not hand the ball to the running back, but will instead keep it. Wide receivers lined up to either side of the quarter back run down the field and try to find open spots within the defense. The quarterback can throw the ball to the wide receivers, who try to catch the ball. The quarterback cannot throw the ball after he has passed the line of scrimmage. If the wide receivers catch the quarterback's throw, they try to run toward the end zone before being tackled by the defense.
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