Football is the most popular sport in the United States. However, due to physical limitations, lack of access to football programs, or the absence of football leagues for girls, not everybody can play it at schools or in recreational leagues. These people make street football their game of choice. Street football, which might also be flag football or touch football, can be played anywhere, with just a handful of people. While the rules of street football are based on the rules of professional and college football, there are a few key differences that make street football unique.
Playing Field
While the name of street football suggests that the game must be played on the street, this isn't always true. Street football can be played anywhere: The street in front of your house, a neighborhood park, or even your backyard can host a street football game. In street football, yard markings don't matter because landmarks — such as the start of a driveway, a cone or someone's sweatshirt or jacket — determine where the end zones lie. Furthermore, the boundaries can be determined by the width of a street — or eliminated entirely if the players so choose.
Basics
Most street football games are governed by a few basic rules, though these rules can differ based on the style and location of your game.
Tackling is usually done by touching your opponent with either one or two hands. If you're playing flag football, each player wears two flags on his waist that must be pulled off by an opposing player to record a tackle.
First downs are often achieved based on a specified number of passes (usually two) that must be completed before four downs have elapsed. In some games, the two completions must take place on consecutive downs. Other leagues measure first downs based on landmarks around the playing field.
If you're on defense and you want to rush the quarterback, there's usually a count that you must recite before crossing the line of scrimmage. You must perform a universal count of "one one-thousand, two one-thousand" and so on, or "one Mississippi, two Mississippi" and so so for an agreed-upon duration of time, often five counts. After this time, you are free to charge the quarterback, who is also free to run past the line of scrimmage. In many games, the defense gets one blitz — when defenders can charge without counting first — for every four downs, or one per defensive sequence.
Unique Situations
The rules of street football give players a solid foundation for their games, but does not cover every possible game scenario. Often, informal games feature judgment calls or organizational improvisation.
If there is a situation where the outcome of a play is in doubt — for example, a receiver might have dropped a pass or a defensive player might have blitzed before finishing his count — it's customary to call for a "do-over down." When a do-over down takes place, the play in question is treated as if it never took place. The players simply pick up from the point where they were prior to the disputed play.
If there aren't enough players for a game, or there's an odd number of players, this problem is often solved by instituting an "automatic" quarterback. The automatic quarterback plays quarterback for both teams, thereby allowing for an equal number of receivers and defensive players. Automatic quarterbacks are often rotated so everyone gets a chance to pass, receive and defend.
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