Everything you wanted to know about American football

The league:

The NFL incorporates 32 teams split into two conferences, the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference is separated into 4 divisions, North, South, East and West with four groups in each. You’ll find a breakdown of each division here.

The sector:

An American football pitch (or subject as it is known) is one hundred twenty yards long and 53.three yards wide. An important components are the two end zones, with one situated at either end of the field. The ten yards between the entrance and back of the top zone is where touchdowns are scored.

The teams:

Each workforce has specialists on offence, defence and particular teams but by no means have more than 11 players on the field at one time. In the NFL there are 46 active players allowed on game day which is why you see so many individuals standing alongside the sidelines.

The offence is made up of:

The offensive line ( guards, tackles and a centre who protect the quarterback and running backs from being tackled).

Two/four wide receivers who catch the ball or block on running plays.

One/two tight ends who catch the ball or block on certain passing and running plays.

One/ running backs who run and catch the ball while additionally blocking for the quarterback on some plays.

The quarterback, who can pass, run with, or hand the football to the running back.

The defence is made up of:

The defensive line who try to stop the quarterback and running back from moving the football.

Linebackers who push forward to try to cease the running back and tackle the quarterback.

Cornerbacks and safeties who, primarily, try to stop the receivers from catching the ball.

The play:

Possession in American football is similar to rugby league, with each offence having 4 ‘downs’ to advance the ball ten yards. When the offence succeeds in moving the ball not less than ten yards, they are awarded with a recent set of downs, meaning they have 4 more attempts.

To move the ball, a group can select to run or throw, however only one forward pass is allowed in each play.

The quarterback is maybe essentially the most well-known position in American football and, like an on-area basic, he touches the ball on nearly each play. With the help of the offensive coordinator he also decides if a play will contain a run, a pass or, in some cases, both.

In most cases, if a crew has did not move the ball forward ten yards on the primary three downs, they punt the ball away (like kicking for position in rugby) or kick a discipline goal (value three factors) on the fourth.

Scoring:

Instead of field goals, most groups need to score touchdowns like the one Tom Brady scores above. These are registered when a group either runs or passes the ball into the end zone and are worth six factors, with the purpose after (think conversion in rugby) worth one.

You can even go for a two-point conversion by running or throwing into the end zone.

While it is often the offence that scores, the defence can get in on the motion too. If the defence intercepts a pass (a pick) or forces an opposition player to fumble the football, they will run the ball into their opponent’s finish zone for six points.

Defences also can pressure a safety (we told you we’d get to it). This is worth two points and happens if they tackle an offensive player within the offence’s own finish zone.

The clock:

Games are divided into 4 15-minute quarters, separated by a 12-minute break at halftime. There are additionally -minute breaks on the finish of the first and third quarters as groups change ends of the field. At the end of the primary and third quarters, the team with the ball retains possession heading into the next quarter.

Each offensive crew has 40 seconds from the end of a given play till they snap the ball for the start of the next play, otherwise they are going to be penalised.

The clock stops at the end of incomplete passing plays, when a player goes out of bounds, or when a penalty is called. The clock starts again when the ball is re-spotted by an official.

If a game is a draw (tied) on the end of 60 minutes, a 15-minute additional time period will probably be played. In the NFL, the first workforce to attain a touchdown wins. A field goal may win a game in extra time however only if each teams have had possession of the football.

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