Advancing the ball in American football
A quarterback searching for opportunity to throw a pass.
Advancing the ball in American football resembles the six-tackle rule and the play-the-ball in rugby league football. The team that takes possession of the ball (the offense) has four attempts, called downs, to advance the ball 10 yards towards their opponent’s (the defense‘s) end zone. When the offense gains 10 yards, it gets a first down, or another set of four downs to gain 10 yards. If the offense fails to gain a first down (10 yards) after 4 downs, it loses possession of the ball.
Except at the beginning of halves and after scores, the ball is always put into play by a snap. All players line up facing each other at the line of scrimmage (the position on the field where the play begins). One offensive player, the center, then passes (or “snaps”) the ball between his legs to a teammate, usually the quarterback.
Players can then advance the ball in two ways:
- By running with the ball, also known as rushing. One ball-carrier can hand the ball to another; this is known as a handoff.
- By throwing the ball to a teammate, known as a forward pass or as passing the football. The forward pass is a key factor distinguishing American and Canadian football from other football sports. The offense can throw the ball forward only once on a play and only from behind the line of scrimmage. The ball can be thrown sideways or backwards at any time. This type of pass is known as a lateral and is much rarer in American football than in rugby league or rugby union, where a backwards pass is mandatory.
A play (also called a down) ends, and the ball becomes dead, after any of the following:
- The player with the ball is forced to the ground or has his forward progress halted by members of the other team (as determined by an official).
- A forward pass flies out of bounds or touches the ground before it is caught. This is known as an incomplete pass. The ball is returned to the original line of scrimmage for the next down.
- The ball or the player with the ball goes beyond the dimensions of the field (out of bounds).
- A team scores.
Officials blow a whistle to notify all players that the play is over.
At all times, players and fans must be aware of the sequence of downs and the distance to a new first down. When a team has a first down, the scoreboard or television screen flashes “1st and 10″ — that is, first down and 10 yards to go. If the team gains three yards on the first play, for example, the next down will be “2nd and 7.” If the team gains 6.5 yards on the next play the scoreboard may say “3rd and inches.” If a team gains a first down within the ten yard line then the scoreboard or television reads “(the down) and goal.”
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.
