Do you love the excitement of NFL football on Sundays? Do you want to understand the game better? Here’s a guide to understanding everything about America’s favorite sport. The rules of football can seem confusing at first, but after reading this post, you will have a good understanding of how the game works. We will cover everything from scoring to penalties, so that by the end of this post, you’ll be able to understand the basics and be ready for the big game!
How long is a football field?
A football field is 100 yards long and 53.33 yards wide. The field is divided into two halves, each 50 yards long. There are also two end zones, each 10 yards deep. In total, a football field is 120 yards long and 53.33 yards wide.
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Basic rules of football
In football, the object of the game is to score more points than the opposing team, by carrying the ball into the opposing team’s end zone or by kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts.
In football, there are two teams of eleven players each. Even though only eleven players from each side are allowed on the field at any one time, a team is actually made up of 45 players.
The team with more points at the end of the game wins.
The offense, which is the team controlling the oval-shaped football, attempts to advance down the field by running with or passing the ball, while the defense, which is the team without control of the ball, aims to stop the offense’s advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
How long is a football game?
A football game lasts for sixty minutes and is divided into four quarters. Each quarter lasts fifteen minutes. There are two halves in a football game, and each half is divided into two quarters.
The game starts with the kickoff, when the defending team kicks the ball from their 35-yard line to the offensive team.
Even though the game officially lasts for 60 minutes, there are several occasions throughout the match when the clock must be stopped, such as when a player commits a foul, or a team scores a point, which in reality will extend the duration of the game.
If one team scores more points than the other team at the end of regulation time, that team is declared the winner.
However, if after the allocated 60 minutes, the score ends in a tie, the game will continue with additional overtime periods which last 15 minutes, until the winner is found.
How do you get points in American football?
There are four ways a team can score points in football, each awarding a different amount of points. A team can gets points in football through touchdowns, extra points, fields goals, and safeties.
Touchdown
A touchdown is worth six points and is the most common way to score in football. A touchdown is scored when a team either carries the ball into the opposing team’s end zone, catches a pass in the end zone, or kicks the ball through the opponent’s goalposts.
The team in possession of the ball needs to move the ball forward by at least 10 yards while they are on the offense. They have 4 chances, or downs, to do so. If they manage, the count resets and now they get another four downs to push the ball another 10 yards.
If the offensive team didn’t manage to move the ball after 4 downs, a turnover, or a change in possession of the will happen, and the team which previously defended will now be on the offense and vice-versa.
Field goal
If a team cannot score a touchdown, they may try to score a field goal. A field goal is worth three points and is scored when the ball is kicked through the opponent’s goalposts from anywhere on the field.
Extra point
After a touchdown, the scoring team has an opportunity to score one or two more points. They do this by kicking the ball through the goalposts from anywhere on the field. The extra point is worth 1 point, referred to extra point.
For this extra point after the touchdown, the offensive team might attempt to advance the ball again into the end zone, similar to a touchdown. This would be worth 2 points.
Safety
A safety is worth two points and is scored when the opposing team commits a foul in their own end zone or when the ball carrier is tackled in their own end zone.
Now that you know how American football works, tune in to your favorite team’s next game and enjoy! Understanding the game will make it even more enjoyable. And who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to become a player yourself!
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
6 points!
There are four 15-minute quarters, divided by a 12-minute break at halftime.
An NFL game lasts on average 3 hours.
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