American football, known in the United States simply as football, is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone by running with it or throwing it to a teammate.

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field and ball
The field
  • Dimensions:
    • 360 feet in lenght;
    • 160 feet in width;
  • The marks on the field:
    • Sidelines - The lines along each side of the field;
    • End lines - The lines at each end of the field;
    • Goal lines - The goal lines are 10 yards inside and parallel to each end line;
    • Field of play - The area bounded by the goal lines and sidelines;
    • 50-yard line - The field is divided in half by the 50-yard line, which is located in the middle of the field;
    • End zones - The two areas bounded by the goal lines, end lines, and sidelines;
    • Yard lines - Run parallel to the goal lines at intervals of 5 yards and are marked across the field from sideline to sideline.
    • Hash marks - Mark each yard line 70 feet, 9 inches from the sidelines. Two sets of hash marks to each other down the length of the field;
  • Equipments:
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  • Player benches - Six feet outside the border of the field, or 6 feet from the sidelines, is an additional broken white line;
  • The playing surface - Two types of surfaces are used in football: Natural grass and Artificial turf;
  • Goalposts - The goalpost serves as the guideline for the kicker, whose goal is to sail the ball high between the goalpost’s two vertical bars.
    • The Ball - it is a sphere and a prolate spheroid either with rounded ends. It's 11 inches long and 22 inches around.
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    game timing
  • Game time
    • the games are 60 minutes, divided into four 15-minute quarters;
    • after every 15 minutes of play, the teams change ends of the field;
    • the team with the ball retains possession heading into the following quarter at the end of the first and third quarters;
    • the second half starts with a kickoff;
    • snap of the ball for the start of the next play, each offensive team has 40 seconds from the end of a given play;
    • the clock stops at the end of incomplete passing plays;
  • Breacks:
    • there is 12-minute break at halftime;
    • 2-minute breaks at the end of the first and third quarters;
  • Overtime - a 15-minute overtime period will be played, if a game is tied at the end of the regulation play. This is sudden death - the first team to score wins. Who start first determined before the period begins by a coin toss.
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    players, substitutions and equipment
    Players - At any one time, only 11 players per team are allowed on the field. In each team has three in it - the offense, the defense and special teams.
  • the offense team - this team is responsible for taking the ball down the field toward its opponent's end zone;
    • Quarterback or "field general" (QB) - he throws the ball to receivers or hands it off to running backs;
    • Offensive linemen - They blocking the quarterback and running backs. There are Center (C), Guards (LG/RG) and Tackles (LT/RT);
    • Receivers - this team run down the field and catch balls from the quarterback. Receivers are wide receivers (WR) or tight ends (LTE/RTE);
    • Running backs - they take the ball from the quarterback and run up the field. They might be called a tailback (TB), halfback (HB) or fullback (FB);
  • the defense team - try to take the ball away from the offense:
    • Defensive linemen - This team trying to tackle the quaterback, before he releases the ball. Individual positions include Ends (LE/RE), Nose tackle (NT) and Tackle (LDT/RDT);
    • Linebackers - There are three or four linemans. It there are three linemen- one middle linebacker (MLB) and two outside linebackers (OLB). When there are four linemen, there are two inside linebackers (ILB);
    • Cornerbacks (CB) - they prevent the wide receivers from catching the ball;
    • Safeties - They play behind the rest of the defense to prevent a long pass or run. There are a strong safety (SS) and a free safety (FS);
  • the special team
    • Placekicker - they kicks the ball through the goalposts to score points
    • Punter - if the team cannot advance the ball down the field, the punter free-kicks the ball;
    • Returner - they tries to catch the ball and return it as far as he can.
    Substitutions - there is no limit for substitution in the American football. However, players may enter the field only when the ball is dead. Players who have been substituted for are not permitted to linger on the field.
    Equipment:
  • Helmet - The helmet protects your head and face. Today's helmets protect not only the head, but the jaw and cheeks as well, with a face mask covering the front;
  • Pads - Every player wears shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, hip pads and tailbone pads during games. Many players also choose to wear a mouth guard;
  • Other Equipment - Players also wear cleats for better traction on the turf, to go along with pants and jerseys issued by the teams.
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    free kick
  • Kickoffs - A kickoff is a type of free kick. The ball is placed on a tee at the kicking team's 30-yard line. Players on the kickoff coverage team cannot line up more than 5 yards behind the kickoff line. The kicking team's players may not cross this line until the ball is kicked. To be a valid kickodd, the ball must travel at least this 10-yard distance to the receiving team's restraining line. If the ball touch the ground before ten yards, the ball is dead. A re-kick or spot of the ball will be rewarded to the receiving team;
  • Receiving a kickoff - Once the ball carrier is downed, the play is whistled dead and the ball is placed by the officials at the point where the play ended; this spot then becomes the line of scrimmage for the ensuing play;
  • Other free kicks - A free kick is also used to restart the game. The team that was trapped in its own end zone, kicks the ball from its own 20-yard line. This can be a place kick, drop kick or punt.
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    play the game
    A football game begins with a coin toss to decide which team will receive the opening kickoff. From the opening kickoff, the two teams battle to take possession of the ball. Offensive team's unit has the ball.
  • The possessions of the ball are:
    • Receiving a kickoff - A team receives a kickoff at the beginning of each half and after the other team scores
    • Turnover - A team recovers a ball dropped by the other team (fumble) or picks off a ball thrown by the other team's quarterback (interception)
    • Safety - A player is tackled in his own end zone, meaning the end zone his team is defending, so the other team gets the ball though a free kick.
    • Punt - The defensive team stops the offensive team from getting 10 yards in three downs, and the offensive team free-kicks, or punts, the ball to the other team on third down
    • Turnover on downs; - The offensive team fails to advance the ball 10 yards in four downs and has to surrender the ball to the other team.
  • The scrimmage line - The officials determine, after each play, how many yards a team has advanced or lost. Then the ball is placed at the point where the team has ended up. This point determines the line of scrimmage. This is an imaginary line that runs across the field. It's the starting point for the offensive team to each play.
  • First Down - Officials handles a 10-yard-long chain on the sideline. This is the place, whete the team must reach to get a first down;
  • The Punt - A team may choose to punt the ball, if fails to gain 10 yards after three downs. If doesn't punt the ball, a team have to reach these 10 yards on the fourth down or to surrender the ball. The opposing team may return the ball. The kicking team tackle the receiving team's kick returner bebore hee comes back down the field;
    • All of this pushing and shoving to move a cowhide-covered ball has one purpose: move the ball over the opponent's goal line to score a touchdown.
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    scoring
  • Touchdown - it's scored when a team crosses the opposition's goal line with the ball or catches / collects the ball in the end zone. A touchdown is worth six points;
  • Field goal - if the kicker is close enough to the end zone to kick the ball through the posts (usually attempted on fourth down). A Field goal is worth three points;
  • Safety - when a member of the offensive team is tackled with the ball in his own end zone. Two points is awarded to the defensive;
  • An extra point is earned by kicking the ball through the uprights after a touchdown.
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    penalty enforcement
    To call a penalty, an official takes a piece of yellow cloth from his pocket, called a penalty marker or flag, and throws it on the ground. There is then a flag on the play.
  • Illegal procedure - An offensive linemen moved before the play started or a receiver who was in motion before the play started did not move parallel with the line of scrimmage. Or the quarterback was past the line of scrimmage when he threw a pass. 5 yard penalty.
  • Ineligible Receiver Down-field - An offensive lineman was too far advanced past the line of scrimmage when the quarterback threw a pass. 5 yard penalty.
  • Delay of Game - The offensive team took more than 25 seconds to start the play. 5 yard penalty.
  • Grounding the Ball - The quarter back threw the ball away instead toward a possible receiver because he was about to be sacked. 5 yards and loss of down.
  • Off-sides - A defensive player moved across the line of scrimmage and either made contact with an offensive player or failed to get back before the play started. 5 yard penalty.
  • Holding - An offensive lineman used his hands while blocking. 10 yard penalty.
  • Clipping, Illegal Block, Chop Block - Blocking a player from the back. This can hurt a player because he doesn't know the hit is coming. 10 yards.
  • Pass Interference - Grabbing or tackling the pass receiver while the pass is in the air. The defender must wait until the ball arrives. However, the defender can try the catch the ball himself, so he may collide with the receiver as they both try to make the catch. If there is interference, the penalty is 15 yards and a first down is granted even if the ten yards has not been made.
  • Unnecessary Roughness, Roughing the Passer, Roughing the Kicker - Tackling someone after he no longer has the ball or after the play is over. 15 yards.
  • Facemask - Grabbing the front of a player's helmet during a tackle. 15 yards if flagrant; 5 yards if incidental.
  • Unsportsman-like conduct - 15 yards.

    • After a penalty is called, the other team can accept or decline the penalty. When a penalty is assessed, the ball is brought back to the original line of scrimmage and the penalty is marched off from there.
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    officilas: juristiction and duties
  • Referee - The referee has the final word in decisions and is responsible for giving signals and serves;
  • The Umpire - Primarily responsible for spotting the ball at the beginning of plays;
  • The Head Linesman - Responsible for the chains and for counting how many downs a team has used, and how many they have left;
  • The Line Judge - Responsible for time keeping and helping the Linesman to set up the line of scrimmage;
  • The Back Judge - Responsible for monitoring the duration of time outs and half-time;
  • The Field Judge - Tends to stand towards the rear of the field and makes sure players are in-bounds. The field judge will primarily supervise the defensive players who are often placed "deep", a fair distance away from the rest of the players;
  • The Side Judge - Also responsible for ensuring players remain in-bounds and supervising play on his side of the field;
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