7 Basic Facts to Know When Learning about Football
Football isn’t the easiest thing to understand, but with these basic facts about American football, you can scream like the rest of the fans in no time.
Are you one of those who will watch the super bowl just for the commercials? Or maybe it’s to see the halftime show. Perhaps you want to hear what the latest is with Kaepernick.
All good reasons to tune in. But, don’t you want to know what’s going on with the game?
103.4 million people watch the super bowl. It’s basically a national holiday. But if you spend most of your time analyzing the different appetizers instead of analyzing the game, you’re missing out.
Football isn’t the easiest thing to understand, but with these basic facts about American football, you can scream like the rest of the fans in no time.
American Football Basics
Let’s start at the beginning. There are two teams of 45 players, although only 11 players from each team are on the field at any given time. The team is made up of an offense, a defense, and special teams.
The team with the ball is on offense; the other side is on defense. The game is played over four 15-minute quarters
The purpose of the game is to get the football into the other team’s end zone. This can be done by either running it in or throwing it to a teammate in the end zone.
Downs
Downs are probably the most confusing part of the game to a newcomer. So let’s break it down:
The offensive team has four chances to move the ball at least 10 yards. Each attempt is called a down. If the team gets 10 yards, then the downs reset. If they don’t move 10 yards in 4 plays, then the ball is turned over to the other team.
How to Score
There are a few different ways to score in football:
Touchdown
Worth 6 points. A touchdown is when a player runs or catches the football in the endzone
Field Goal
Worth 3 points. If a team is on 4th down and getting close to the endzone, they may end up deciding to kick a field goal. The kicker tries to kick the ball between the upright posts.
Extra Point
After a touchdown, the scoring team gets another chance to get some extra points. They can either kick the ball through the uprights for 1 point, or they can run the ball into the endzone for 2 points.
Most teams usually go for 1, since it is easier.
Safety
Worth 2 points. This is when the defensive team tackles the person with the ball in their endzone.
Uniforms and Equipment
The football an oblong shaped ball made of leather. The leather comes from steers — not pigskin.
Football is a highly physical game. The equipment that is used includes a helmet and shoulder pads.
Often there is additional padding in the pants, undershirts, and arm sleeves. Players need as much protection as possible in the full-contact sport.
Players also wear cleats to avoid slipping on the turf.
The Football Field
The football field is 100 yards long with stripes running the width of the field every 5-yards.
The shorter lines are called hash marks, and they mark each yard. These marks make it easier to determine how far 10 yards is.
The football field is 160-feet wide.
Cheer On Your Favorite Team
There are 32 professional American football teams. The best part about football is cheering on your favorite team and following them through the season. You can always check us out to stay up-to-date on all the latest NFL happenings.
And if you’re lucky enough, your team will get into the Superbowl. Now that’s worth having a party for.
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