Addendum: And the people who respond back need to be absolutely certain they know what the hell they’re talking about.
Where did I brag? You keep projecting these feelings onto me that don’t exist, and continued to neglect this in the portion you quoted.
I did do some “basic research” and found very few helpful sites–most assumed a basic understanding of the sport and quickly delved into shit that was above my head, hence posting a thread here asking “where would * begin?” in trying to understand this sport. I was asking for online resources that would be helpful for a noobie, and not necessilarly asking for fellow posters to convey the ins-and-outs of the sport (though I’m happy for those who have done so).
Sorry, you and pedescribe are right. It was late and I have no other excuse.
How about getting Madden Football for the console of your choice and playing?
It is made with the assumption that you have basic knowledge of footba, but I believe even a neophyte could start with Madden and learn a lot about real football while learning the EA version of it. You are thrust into the dual role of QB and head coach for the team of your choice. Throughout the game you choose the play you want to run (or ask the coach for his advice.) As you play you will notice penalties that are called, points awarded for scores, different plays to run and the names of different positions.
I say grab an old version of the game. Play awhile and then come back with some questions.
A few other basic terms:
Line of scrimmage: The point where the ball starts a given play. Determined by the location of the ball at the end of the last play, generally speaking. Players are not allowed to be ahead of the LOS before a play begins: if a defensive player gets ahead of the LOS it’s called “off-sides”, if an offensive player does it’s a “False start,” and either one is a penalty.
Sack: When a defending player managed to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can pass the ball. Generally an opportunity for lots of showboating.
Interception: When a defending player catches the ball instead of the intended receiver.
Fumble: When a ball-carrier drops the ball before the play ends. At that point, the ball is live and anyone can pick it up. Often a good opportunity for the defense to get the ball, and also to watch some 320 lb. defensive lineman try to run.
Safety: When the offensive team is pushed so far back that a player is tackled inside his own end-zone. Rarely happens. Worth 2 points.
Oh, one other:
Holding: A player illegally grabs onto another player (other than the ball-carrier) to stop him from acting. The rules for what exactly is and is not holding are roughly on par with the US tax code. Realistically, this happens every play to some degree or another. The referee calls it when he feels he has to justify his salary for a play.
GoodOmens exaggerates only slightly. Holding / illegal contact rules are on a par with the rules for form 1040A. The decision to call holding or illegal contact is governed by rules on a par with the long form.
Which is to say, it’s complex but there’s worse.
There was a really good thread about this last season, when someone had to go schmoozing at a playoff game and didn’t know football at all. I remember it was a Vikings game, but don’t know if I could find it right now.
Heh. That was the aforementioned trainwreck I brought up. 
A bit more on the players you see on the field (The Other Waldo Pepper covered some of this):
Each team has 11 players on the field at a time; a team has roughly 45 players on their “active roster” for a game – those 45 are the players who could enter the game for that team.
Generally speaking, any particular player will play only on offense, or only on defense. You occasionally see a player who plays on both offense and defense, but this is usually either situational (i.e., a defensive linebacker who occasionally lines up as a fullback), or due to injuries (i.e., a wide receiver who lines up as a cornerback because his team’s cornerbacks are injured).
When a team is on offense, their personnel will commonly look like this:
- 5 offensive linemen (one center, two guards, two tackles)
- 2 wide receivers
- 1 tight end
- 1 quarterback
- 1 halfback (sometimes referred to as the “running back” these days)
- 1 fullback
As teams can change which personnel they have in the game on every play, you see a lot of variation from that “standard” line-up.
Offensive linemen are the biggest players who play on offense. Their job is to block the opposing team’s players (usually their defensive linemen or linebackers). On a running play, the lineman are usually trying to move forward, and clear a path for the runner; on a passing play, the lineman usually backpedal, trying to create and maintain a safe “pocket” for their passer.
Offensive linemen almost always line up all together, with the center in the center in the center of the formation (imagine that!), the two guards on either side of the center, and the two tackles on either side of the guard.
The center is responsible for initiating each play, by “snapping” the ball through his legs (usually to the quarterback). The center is also responsible for making and changing blocking assignments before he snaps the ball…if you see the center pointing towards the defense before he snaps the ball, that’s what he’s doing.
Generally speaking, offensive lineman rarely, if ever, carry the ball. They usually are not eligible to legally catch a pass (unless the offense is running a trick formation). While they legally could run with the ball, they usually don’t have the skills to do so effectively.
It’s very rare to see a team run a play with fewer or more than 5 linemen.
Wide receivers are usually the primary pass-catchers on their team. They tend to be fast, with good hands, and the ability to “run routes” well. Some WRs have different combinations of those abilities (such as a relatively slow receiver with great hands).
On most plays (particularly on pass plays), the wide receivers will run particular “patterns”, which ensures that the quarterback knows where the receivers will be. However, depending on what happens during the play, a receiver may change his pattern (usuin reaction to what the defense is doing)…ideally, the quarterback will know how his receivers are changing their patterns.
In a “standard” formation, the offense lines up with two wide receivers; they’re the ones at or near the line of scrimmage, but furthest away from the center. However, it’s very common to see more than two wide receivers on some plays, particularly if the offense is very likely to pass (you may see four or five WRs on those plays). You may also see formations in which the offense uses only one, or no, WRs (these are usually obvious running plays).
The tight end is a sort of a hybrid between an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. He’s usually bigger (taller and heavier) than a WR, though usually not as big as a tackle. He usually has pretty good hands, though he may not be as fast as a WR. On running plays, he’s usually expected to be able to block well (and, occasionally, a TE is asked to block on a pass play, as well).
Some TEs are very good at receiving, but not great blockers, while some are very good blockers, but not particularly good receivers.
A “standard” formation uses one TE, but you will see formations with multiple tight ends (especially short-yardage running formations), and you’ll often see formations with no TEs at all (usually, those formations with multiple WRs).
The quarterback is likely the single most important player on offense. Every play goes through him – he receives every snap from the center, at which point he will either:
- hand it to a running back
- pass it
- run it himself (generally not common in the NFL, though a few QBs are good at doing so)
On a running play, the QB will typically just pivot around and hand the ball directly to his running back, or, occasionally, he’ll toss the ball to the running back (this is called a “pitch” or “lateral”).
On a passing play, the QB will typically backpedal several steps before passing; this is to give him some breathing room from the defensive players who are coming after him. The area where he sets up to pass (and where his linemen are setting up to protect him) is called the “pocket”.
Usually, the QB starts the play directly behind the center (yes, with his hands up underneath the center’s crotch), and he takes the “snap” directly from the center’s hands. This is called being “under center”. Many teams will also use what’s called a "shotgun’ formation – the QB stands about 5 yards behind the center, who snaps the ball through the air to the QB to start the play. The shotgun is usually used on obvious passing plays, to save the QB the time needed to backpedal into the pocket, though it’s also possible to run out of the shotgun.
Most quarterbacks have a strong, accurate throwing arm, and are fairly smart – they need to be able to diagnose what the defense is doing, and change their plans on the fly if need be. As mentioned above, some QBs are also good at running the ball, though many NFL teams don’t like to let their QBs run much (and many QBs, especially older ones, are pretty poor at it).
On virtually every play, you have one, and only one, quarterback on the field. There are teams which will run a formation that doesn’t use a quarterback (e.g., the Dolphins’ “Wildcat” formation), but that’s an exception to the rule.
A halfback is usually his team’s primary ballcarrier. He typically lines up behind the quarterback, 5 to 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Halfbacks tend to be fast and shifty runners. Some HBs are bigger and stronger, good at straight-ahead running, just overpowering the people who try to tackle him, while others are smaller, relying on their speed or shiftiness to avoid being tackled.
Halfbacks may also be called on to be receivers (some are very good at that), and may also be called on to block (especially on pass plays).
Most of the time, a team will have one halfback on the field at a time. Two halfbacks is very uncommon, while, depending on the receiving ability of a team’s halfback, he may be replaced by a wide receiver on passing downs.
The term “running back” used to be used to refer to both halfbacks and fullbacks, but, over the past 20 to 30 years, the role of the fullback has changed (see below), and many fullbacks now rarely carry the ball. Thus, “running back” is now often used to specifically refer to a halfback.
The fullback is primarily a blocker. He tends to be bigger and stronger (though probably slower) than a halfback. Like the halfback, the fullback lines up in the backfield, behind the quarterback. He will often line up closer to the line of scrimmage than the halfback does, because his job, on a running play, will be blocking for the running back.
As noted above, fullbacks used to be more likely to run the ball than they are now; for example, Jim Taylor (one of the best running backs in Green Bay Packer history) was a fullback. Some fullbacks are now called on to catch the ball, but others are, effectively, a sixth offensive lineman.
You usually see no more than one fullback on the field at a time, and some teams don’t use one at all – they may use a second tight end, sometimes referred to as an “H-back”, in place of the fullback. It’s a position that may be dying, as NFL offenses evolve.
Phew…that’s offense. May post defense later, if I have time.
Also, you can tell something about what position a player plays, on offense, by his uniform number:
Quarterbacks wear numbers from 1-19
Halfbacks and fullbacks wear numbers from 20-49
Wide receivers and tight ends typically wear numbers from 80 to 89 (though, the rules were changed a few years ago to allow WRs to wear numbers from 10 to 19, and some TEs will wear numbers in the 40s)
Offensive lineman will wear numbers from 50 to 79. This is one that you won’t see exceptions to; anyone wearing those jersey numbers is automatically assumed to not be an “eligible receiver”, unless he specifically reports to the referee that he’ll be playing at an “eligible” position for that play (and the referee will announce that fact before the play begins).
That’s a lot of info for someone who doesn’t know anything about football.
The gist of American football is this… the object is to move the ball down the field and score points while the other team tries to stop you.
KICKOFF
This is a play where one team kicks the ball off to the other team. The kickoff is used to put the ball into play to start the game, to start the second half, and after one team scores a touchdown or field goal. (See SCORING below.)
The kicking team kicks the ball to the receiving team. The receiving team tries to run the ball as far as possible upfield. The kicking team tries to stop the running team by tackling the guy with the ball or pushing him out of bounds. Tackling means stopping forward progress, usually by bringing the ball carrier to the ground.
The ball is placed at the spot of the tackle or going out of bounds. Wherever the ball is, there is an imaginary “line of scrimmage” to begin normal play.
NORMAL PLAY
The offense and defense line up on opposite sides of the line of scrimmage.
The offense gets 4 attempts (called “downs”) to move the ball 10 yards or more forward from the original line of scrimmage. If the offense succeeds, then the offense is awarded a new set of 4 downs to try to do it again.
Play begins on “1st down” with 10 yards remaining to gain another set of 4 downs. This is often phrased in shorthand as “1st & 10.”
The offense “snaps” the ball to begin play. The offense may run the ball or pass the ball. Every time the ball carrier is tackled, the ball is placed at that spot of the tackle, making a new line of scrimmage.
If on 1st down, the offense moves only 3 yards forward, then that will bring up 2nd down with only 7 yards to go to get another set of 4 downs. In shorthand, this is “2nd & 7.”
If on 2nd down, the offense gets 11 more yards, then the offense was successful in moving the ball at least 10 yards from the original line of scrimmage and is awarded a new set of 4 downs. It is once again 1st & 10 from the new line of scrimmage… and so on.
If the offense fails to get the full 10 yards in 4 downs, then it loses possession of the ball to the other team.
If the offense fails to move 10 yards in 3 downs, then the typical strategy is to punt the ball away to the other team on 4th down, moving them as far back as possible. By punting, the offense gives up the ball.
If a forward pass hits the ground before it is caught, the pass is incomplete. The ball is placed back at the line of scrimmage for the next down to begin.
SCORING
TOUCHDOWN: If one team gets the ball across the goal line of the other team’s end zone, it is a touchdown, worth 6 points. After a touchdown, the scoring team may run one more play to kick the ball through the goalposts for 1 more point OR may try to get the ball across the goal line again for 2 more points. Kicking is the safer bet, so most touchdowns result in a total of 7 points scored. After scoring, go to KICKOFF, where the scoring team kicks off to the other team.
FIELD GOAL: If the team with the ball gets somewhat close enough to the opponents’ goal but does not believe it can go all the way to score a touchdown, then that team may opt to kick the ball through the goalposts for a field goal, worth 3 points. After scoring, go to KICKOFF, where the scoring team kicks off to the other team.
SAFETY: If the defense pins you back in your own end zone, the defense is awarded 2 points. Not only that, but the team that lost the safety is then forced to kick off to the scoring team, whereas normally the scoring team kicks off.
TURNOVERS
If one team fumbles the ball, the other team can recover the fumble and take possession of the ball. The defense may also intercept a forward pass and take possession that way.
I should add this:
PENALTIES
When there is a penalty, the referee will throw a yellow flag on the ground. The ref will usually announce the penalty to the crowd. Penalties are usually enforced by moving the ball forward or backward some number of yards in a way that penalizes a team.
You may see a team decline to enforce a penalty against a team committing a penalty. All that means is that the team feels it is in their best interest to just let the penalty slide as if it never happened.
INSTANT REPLAY REVIEW
On certain plays, one team may ask the referee to go look at the previous play on instant replay to ensure the refs made the right call. The ref will go look at a TV screen and will either affirm or reverse the call on the play based upon the instant replay review.
Based upon my two posts alone, I think you should be able to follow the basic vast majority of the game. There are various nuances and technicalities that your friends can explain to you as you watch. I would ignore those nuances and technicalities for purposes of this thread and just focus on the basic nuts & bolts for now. Get the basics down, then expand your knowledge.
Indeed. Not to disparage most of the other comments in this thread, but there’s a point where more information is counter-productive for someone who knows nothing about the sport. Good post, Bearflag.
I thought this was a great post. I’d love to see your explanation of defense.
Well, Bearflag’s probably right, what I wrote was probably too much for a total novice (and I thought his posts were pretty danged good for “Football 101”). But, I’ll try to put together a similar explanation for defense and special teams later tonight.
Unless you really want to get deep into defense schemes and such, casual understanding of defense is pretty straightforward.
Defensive players are divided into three groups:
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Down Linemen
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Linebackers
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Secondary or Defensive Backs
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Down Linemen are the ones you see positioned right on the line of scrimmage opposite the offensive line, normally with one hand “down” on the ground. Their job is to push against the offensive linemen and either tackle a runner or attack the QB before he passes.
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Linebackers have a hybrid role. When the offense runs the ball, linebackers fill gaps created at the line the runner could run through and tackle the runner. When the offense passes the ball, linebackers will either attack the QB along side the down linemen or cover a receiver. When a linebacker attacks the QB it’s called a “blitz.”
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The Secondary, divided into “Cornerbacks” and “Safeties,” are normally tasked with covering receivers. Corners normally cover wide receivers directly, while safeties usually are positioned well behind their teammates and read the rest of the field to decide where to move and what to do. Safeties are sometimes seen playing more like a linebacker. Both types can blitz the QB.
Quantity of the above personnel types
(This is not particularly important to a beginner, but you may hear the terms.)
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“3-4” or “4-3”
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“Nickel” defense
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The first number is the number of down linemen, and the second number is the number of linebackers.
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Nickel defense is when a fifth defensive back is brought in, usually in place of a linebacker. This often happens when the offense is very likely to pass. In rare instances you may hear “dime” or “quarter;” the higher the coin value, the more defensive backs are on the field.
Defensive play calls:
Getting a little more complicated:
To defend against passes, two basic types of coverage schemes are available:
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Man-to-man coverage
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Zone coverage.
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Man-to-man means each linebacker and defensive back is assigned to a particular receiver or running back, wherever that player may go after the ball is snapped. Sometimes two defenders are both assigned to a single offensive player.
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Zone coverage means each defender is assigned to a particular area of the field, regardless of who the offensive player is that comes near.
There are blends and combinations of the two, as well. Often the two safeties will be covering zones downfield, while their teammates in front will be man-to-man. Disguising which type you’ve chosen and otherwise fooling the offense is often attempted because the offense will do things differently based on what they think the defense will do.
Ditto. Aside from Quarterback and Kicker, it really doesn’t matter if the OP knows the name of the different positions. He knows that some run and some catch and some tackle and it’s really beside-the-point in understanding the action (as opposed to strategy) Who exactly does What.
Here’s a hypothetical game to illustrate my explanation of Football 101:
KICKOFF: The receiving team is tackled at the 20 yard line (the starting line of scrimmage).
The offense begins with 1st Down and 10 yards to go at its own 20 yard line. The arrow (< or >) indicates which side of the 50 yard line we are on.
1st & 10 @ <20: The offense runs the ball +3 yards
2nd & 7 @ <23: The offense runs the ball +4 yards
3rd & 3 @ <27: The offense passes the ball +9 yards
1st & 10 @ <36: The offense passes the ball +9 yards
2nd & 1 @ <45: The offense runs the ball +1 yard
1st & 10 @ <46: The offense passes the ball +12 yards
(The field of play is 100 yards long. Once you cross the 50 yard line, the yard markers count down as you approach the opponent’s goal line, switching the arrow the other way.)
1st & 10 @ >42: The defense causes the offense to lose yards -3 yards
2nd & 13 @ >45: The offense throws a pass, incomplete (0 yards)
3nd & 13 @ >45: The offense completes a pass +15 yards
1st & 10 @ >30: The offense runs the ball +1 yard
2nd & 9 @ >29: The offense runs the ball +1 yard
3rd & 8 @ >28: The offense throws a pass, incomplete (0 yards)
4th & 8 @ >28:
The offense is in a pickle here. It is on its last down (4th down) and needs 8 yards or more in one last attempt to be awarded another set of 4 downs. That’s not an easy thing to do.
If the offense tries to “go for it” but fails to gain at least 8 yards in one last down, then the other team will take over.
The offense may decide to punt the ball away to the other team, giving up possession of the ball, but attempting to pin the other team back as far back as it can.
The offense might try to score a touchdown, but they are on their last down, and the goal line is 28 yards away. Again, if the offense tries but fails to gain at least 8 yards in one last down, then the other team will take over. 28 yards is a loooong way to go in 1 play.
The offense might decide that it is “close enough” to the goal post that it is safest to attempt to score a field goal. If the offense attempts to kick a field goal but misses, then the other team will take over the ball from the spot where the ball was kicked. On the other hand, if the kick is successful, the offense will score 3 points.
What to do???
4th & 8 @ >28: Field goal attempt GOOD. Score 3 points to the offense.
KICKOFF: The scoring team kicks off and we do it all again.
The NFL has a page you might want to check out as well.