# Stripped down football for sports morons? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 22, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458 "2013-09-22T19:09:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/41 "2013-09-23T23:21:49Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Now that I know THIS much, I find myself wanting to watch- EXCEPT… I’d still probably be lost as hell since the commenters comment in a manner that assumes the viewer has a clue. > > What I need is Televised Football for Dummies… or hey, wait… closed captioning explaining what the fuck the commenter just said… You could watch on a DVR with a knowledgeable friend- he/she could pause it after a play to explain what happened if you have questions, and then catch up during the ads. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/42 "2013-09-23T23:25:46Z")
The problem with a published “Football for Dummies” is that, at least for the NFL, the game footage is copyrighted so only companies who have made a deal with the NFL can publish detailed descriptions of the whole game. Bloggers can get away with describing individual plays, or of course making general comments on the game as a whole, but not doing play-by play commentary. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/43 "2013-09-23T23:39:10Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Now that I know THIS much, I find myself wanting to watch- EXCEPT… I’d still probably be lost as hell since the commenters comment in a manner that assumes the viewer has a clue. If you want to watch, just go ahead! - you don’t have to understand everything at first (and hell, you can even turn the volume off if you want) - it won’t take long to get the basics of the trying-to-move-the-ball-10-yards-upfield-in-4-downs rhythm of the game. Sure, you can get as deeply into it as you want - but following it on a basic level isn’t exactly rocket science! ---
**Author:** ![Heller\_Highwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Heller\_Highwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heller_Highwater)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/44 "2013-09-23T23:40:07Z")
One thing I haven’t seen addressed so far is penalties. When a player or team breaks the rules of the game (intentionally or inadvertently) one of the officials will throw a yellow flag onto the field of play. This does not stop the game (i.e., end the particular play), but rather after the fact, an adjustment will be made according to the severity of the infraction. These can range from small (example: one team has 12 players on the field even though only 11 are allowed; the remedy in this case is to move the ball 5 yards in the appropriate direction) to large (example: unsportsmanlike conduct by the defense will result in a 15 yard adjustment and it _automatically_ becomes first down again for the offense, even if that 15 yard distance would not normally be enough for a first down). Additionally, after a penalty, the down will typically be replayed (unless the penalty causes a first down to be awarded), regardless of the outcome of the penalized play. (Example: on second down with 7 yards to go, the _offense_ illegally has 12 players on the field; during the play they advance the ball 10 yards (enough for a first down), but are penalized for having too many players; they will lose 5 yards from where the play _began_, and will now need to gain 12 yards to make a first down, but they still have 3 more tries – i.e., second down will be replayed.) The interesting additional element here is that the victimized team may always choose to **decline** the penalty and accept the normal result of the play. (Example: the defense lines up on the wrong side of the ball (_offsides_), but in spite of this, an offensive player manages to run with the ball all the way for a touchdown. The offense may choose to decline the offsides penalty, which would normally advance the ball 5 yards, and instead effectively say “We’ll take that touchdown instead, thanks!”) This sometimes adds an element of strategy. Other times, it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/45 "2013-09-24T00:40:18Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > This doesn’t make any sense. What you described is an incomplete pass, not a fumble. It only makes sense if by “upfield” you mean “behind the quarterback”, which is a strange definition of “upfield.” “Downfield” is the direction your offense wants to go, is the way I have always heard it. Admittedly, “upfield” is not really used much if ever, but the guy who dropped the pass was further back from the line of scrimmage than was the QB. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/46 "2013-09-24T00:45:39Z")
> [@Heller\_Highwater](#): > > The interesting additional element here is that the victimized team may always choose to **decline** the penalty and accept the normal result of the play. That assumes there is a play at all. There are some procedural penalties that occur outside a play, i.e. there’s no “result” since there’s no play. For example, the defense can’t decline a false start penalty nor fouls that occur after a play is over like late hits and such. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/47 "2013-09-24T00:47:33Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > The one-point play in college is a blocked PAT or a turnover on a two-point conversion returned to the end zone. This, of course, is not the same as the rouge in Canadian football. Not correct. This is worth 2 points as you describe. The 1 point is specifically for when the returner goes backwards into his own end zone. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/48 "2013-09-24T01:06:17Z")
I justify being wrong by not caring about college football. I think the NFL should adopt the rouge. Who’s with me? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/49 "2013-09-24T01:24:32Z")
1 point for NFL is during the try if the defense bats the ball (without taking possession) out the back of their own end-zone. Taking possession would stop the play. “NFL Rule 11-3-2-d: If there is no kick, and the Try results in what would ordinarily be a safety against the defense, one point is awarded to the offensive team.” ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/50 "2013-09-24T02:03:15Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > Thanks. I guess I read the post as inferring that it was legal in the NFL but would not probably happen. Couldn’t figure out how. A one point safety IS possible in the NFL but will realistically never happen. Cite: > [@](#): > > The NFL also allows for the one-point safety, but only for the offense. Because play ends on an NFL conversion as soon as the defense gains possession, the only way this really could happen is if the defense batted the ball from the field of play into its own end zone. > > NFL Rule 11-3-2-d: If there is no kick, and the Try results in what would ordinarily be a safety against the defense, one point is awarded to the offensive team. > > Approved Ruling 11.4: During a Try, placekick holder A1 fumbles. B1 kicks, bats, or muffs the loose ball (new impetus) on his 2 and it goes out of bounds behind the goal line. > Ruling: Ordinarily a safety (11-5-1). Award one point. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/51 "2013-09-24T13:33:30Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I justify being wrong by not caring about college football. > > I think the NFL should adopt the rouge. Who’s with me? Careful, suggesting rule changes for football always leads to a thread taking off in ridiculous directions, with dozens of nearly insane ideas. BTW, I love when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/52 "2013-09-24T16:02:48Z")
Well, I don’t mean to hijack the thread. **Stoid** , another way to learn a bit about football is to get a copy of Madden if you’ve got a video game system (it doesn’t have to be the newest system or the latest version of Madden) and play it on easy. There’s a lot of things in real life that don’t really get simulated in a video game but you can learn a lot of the basics and some more advanced concepts as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/53 "2013-09-26T04:17:17Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > It’s not technically called a field goal but a “Point After Touchdown” or PAT or extra point. > > It’s virtually automatic in the NFL and in top tier college football. But “virtually” is not absolute. Teams miss on occasion. And it happens more frequently at lower levels. Note of caution for the OP: don’t mix up the extra point with an actual field goal. If a team is at 4th down they have 3 options: 1) Try for the 1st down or touchdown. Risk is that they won’t get it, and then the opposing team gets the ball where it was last downed, which is usually a better field position than you would want to give them. You usually don’t see a team “going for it” on 4th down. 2) Kick a field goal for 3 points, which they will usually opt for if they are within range. 3) Punt the ball back down the field, which basically means you’ve given up on your attempt at offense, and you’re turning the ball back over to the other team. The goal is to have them start at the worst possible field position. Once you score the touchdown, you have the option of the extra point or 2-point conversion. Deciding when you want to go for the touchdown (vs. a fieldgoal) on 4th down and when it’s smart to go for the 2-point conversion vs. the extra point is a matter of risk-assessment and necessity. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/54 "2013-09-26T05:25:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You might have also heard of a “Hail Mary pass”. That’s a pass that’s so long, you have time to pray a full Hail Mary while it’s in the air. If it works, you can score a touchdown from clear at the other end of the field, but it’s really unlikely to work. It’s a desperation move, when you’ve only got a few seconds left in the game (or less desperately, in the half), and just need that one touchdown. I had no idea this was the origin of the name. I thought it was just because you needed divine help for this type of play to succeed. Quite economic naming, covering both concepts so well. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458/55 "2013-09-26T05:35:54Z")
I honestly found it easiest to follow high school football. Of course, it helped that I was part of the band and had nothing better to do while I sat there. And that our team were usually state champions or close, meaning the game was more exciting than surreptitiously talking to my bandmates. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripped-down-football-for-sports-morons/669458.md?page=2)