From the preseason to the Super Bowl, football is a Sunday tradition in America. The Huffington Post reported that 106 million viewers tuned into the 2010 Superbowl, which set a record for the most views of any television broadcast. Football is undoubtedly popular. The NFL enacts a set of rules and regulations to ensure the safety of the players and an all-around enjoyable experience with the fans. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a football beginner, it is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations.
Game Time
A NFL game is composed of four quarters. For 60 minutes, each quarter lasts 15 minutes. There is a two minute break between the first and second quarters, a 12-minute halftime and another two-minute break between the third and fourth quarters, according to the NFL Rulebook. Each team receives three timeouts per half during regulation. Timeouts are 30 seconds. There are also official stoppages of play due to injury or play review.
Field
A football field is 100 yards long and 160-feet wide, according to the NFL. The middle point of the field is the 50-yard line. Every 10 yards on a football field are labeled in descending order from the 50-yard line. Therefore, each side of the field as a 10-yard line, 20-yard line and so forth. The zero-yard line is known as the goal line. When a player crosses over the goal line and into the end zone, a touchdown is scored.
Downs
The offensive team -- or the team with possession of the football -- receives four downs. Downs are essentially chances to move the football down the field. The team must cover a minimum of 10 yards per down to keep possession of the football, according to the NFL. Typically, a team opts to move the ball 10 yards during the first three downs. On the fourth down, a team will normally punt the ball or kick a field goal. A punt occurs when the team is too far from the end zone to attempt to kick a field goal. A field goal is kicked when a team feels they are in scoring range. Scoring range largely depends on the ability of the team's kicker. A team occasionally will run another play on a fourth down. This generally occurs when a team is inches away from achieving 10 yards or is behind in score nearing the end of the game. When a team achieves 10 yards, it has received a first down. A first down allows the team a new set of downs to move the ball farther down the field.
Scoring
The team with the most points at the end of 60 minutes of play is the winner. Teams can achieve points by scoring a touchdown, which gives a team six points. Upon completion of a touchdown, the team is able to kick an extra point: a field goal attempt. In place of an extra point, teams can elect to try for a two-point conversion, which requires passing or running the ball into the end zone. Field goals in the NFL are worth three points. A rare way to achieve points in football is through a safety. A safety, according to the NFL Rulebook, is when a defensive player tackles the offensive player -- with possession of the football -- in his own end zone.
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