Here's a guide to the game:
The Kick-off
Types of (Offensive) Plays
Planning & Execution
Forming a Basic Play
Beginning a Play: The Snap
Ending a Play: Stoppages
Fourth Down & Changing Possessions
Time-outs
Substitutions
Each game, and after every touchdown or field goal begins with the kick-off.
The ball is placed on a plastic tee 27.4m (30 yards) from the defences’ endzone. A specialized player known as the "placekicker" makes a short dash to the tee and kicks the ball. The ball is aimed at the weakest spot of the offence, who ever catches the ball on that offence side is designated the "kick returner" and will try to advance the ball forward by running.
If the ball goes out of bounds, the offence can choose to start either where the ball first went out or 27.4m (30 yards) from the point of the kick. If the ball is caught in the offences’ own endzone, the offence can choose to either run the ball as far as it can or simply kneel in the endzone to signal a "touchback", a sign to stop the play and start the next play 18.28m (20 yards) from the offences’ endzone.
When the ball sailing through the air in a kick-off is a considered a "loose ball", any side take it and become the offence. Usually when the defence is behind in points with very little time left in the game, they can gamble and kick-off the ball a short distance so that the defenders can recover the ball. If the defence cannot get to the ball before the offence does, then the offence will start the next play much closer to the defences’ endzone, certainly a gamble with very high costs for the defence
Types of (Offensive) Plays
It is up to the creativity of the team, especially the quarterback and coach, to decide exactly how the play should unfold. The following can occur in any play, but it's the conditions of the game and the location of the ball that influence which play will be used.
Running
"Running the ball" is basically advancing the ball by having a player hold the ball and run towards the endzone. In a play, running the ball happens when the football is handed to a player (a "hand-off") and that player then runs with the ball. This is successful is when the defence has its players scattered away from the 'ball-runner', or if the offences’ players can block the defensive players tackling the them.
Passing
The other alternative is to throw/"pass" the ball from one offensive player to another. Usually, the quarterback does the passing, though there are times when another player may pass the ball to confuse the defence. Anyone on the offensive can pass the ball as long it's done behind the "line of scrimmage" (an imaginary line which marks where the ball began at the start of a play).
A pass is considered "complete" if the ball is legally caught by an offensive player. If it touches the ground before being caught, then the pass is considered "incomplete." Balls caught by the defence from a pass are called "interceptions."
Quarterbacks and coaches must think about whether to run or pass the ball on the next play. Running the ball can be difficult since there are many defensive players to avoid but it's the safest type of play since it's unlikely that a player will drop the ball. Passing plays may advance the ball further, but they are riskier because the ball becomes a loose ball once it leaves the thrower's hands. The defence may be able to "intercept" the ball before it reaches the hands of another offensive player.
Kicking
While kicking the ball happens at the start of every game and after every touchdown, the only kicking that is associated with plays are during punts and field-goal attempts.
In punting, the ball is thrown ten yards back to the punter who catches the ball and kicks it to the other team. The player who catches the ball has one of 3 options:
1. Fielding the punt: The receiving player will catch the ball and will try to advance the ball by running with it. This option is selected if the player believes he can safely earn a few extra yards.
2. Fair catch: If the player decides the ball but decides running the ball is not the best move, he can raise and wave a hand signalling a "fair catch." When he does that, no player may touch him and the next play begins where he caught the ball.
3. Letting the ball go: If the ball will land on towards the receiving team's endzone or out of bounds, the team may choose to allow ball to land. If the ball goes out of bounds, the yard the ball left the field is where the play will resume. If the ball stays inbounds, as long as no touches the ball, it will remain theirs for the next play. The kicking team may choose to stop the ball's movement where it hits the ground, that is where the receiving team will start the next play. However, the moment any member of the receiving team touches the ball, it becomes a "live" ball and any team can take possession.
The other kind of kicking is the "field goal." This is where a player called a "holder" catches a snapped ball 6.4m (7 yards) from where the ball starts and holds the ball down. The kicker then runs up to the ball and kicks it from the holder's fingertips towards the other team's goalpost. If the ball goes in between goalpost, the offence scores 3 points
Planning & Execution
The offensive coach is plans plays to maximize the amount of yardage the ball is advanced. The defensive coach does the same except his goal is to keep the offence from advancing. Taking into account the abilities of his players and what the other team may do, the defensive coach will start by deciding whether a running or a passing play will occur, what play will the offence is most likely do and what type of defence can compensate for it. Once that is decided, the pre-play arrangement of the players, called the "formation," is determined and then how and where each play will move during the execution of the play.
Of course, much of the plays are pre-planned, so that during a "huddle", when a team gets together to go over a play, the coach has a grab bag of plays to choose from. Huddling is not mandatory if the team has memorized key plays, this is especially useful when the game clock is counting down.
Every play starts with the formation in which players’ line up each side of the ball. The ball itself is placed so that its tips pointed to the endzones. This creates an imaginary band extending across the width of the field called the "line of scrimmage." This line marks neutral territory in which players on either side cannot cross before a play begins except the offensive player who gets his hands on the ball to snap it and start the play. Also, this line determines the maximum distance the ball carrier can advance before they aren't allowed to pass the ball forward.
There must be at least 7players from each team lined up. These 7 players are made up of linemen, tight-end and sometimes even wide-receivers, but generally the bigger the player, the closer they are to the line of scrimmage and the ball. Players at the line may not move before a play begins or else it is considered a "false start."
The area from the line to the offences’ endzone is called the "backfield" where players like the runningbacks, the quarterback, linebackers, safeties, and cornerbacks are positioned. Wide-receivers may be placed here as well to give them good running room. Players are allowed to move around ("man in motion") as part of the planned tactic or to compensate for the other team.
Beginning a Play: The Snap
All plays start when the ball is snapped by the "centre", the offensive lineman closest to the ball. He will hold the ball down on the ground and will throw it or hand it between his legs to a player behind him. This is called a "snap." When the centre moves the ball is verbally signalled by the quarterback or who ever will receive the ball.
Called "stoppages," the end of a play occurs when:
• the ball carrier falls on the ground with a defender touching (usually through tackling) or by their own fault (by slipping)
• the ball carrier is not on the ground but cannot advance any further because there are too many defenders holding him back physically
• the quarterback carrying the ball has the defender(s) grasping them physically ("in the grasp")
• the ball or the ball carrier's feet touches the ground out of bounds
• a pass attempt becomes incomplete
• a foul is called by the referee(s)
• some kind of scoring occurs
• a field goal attempt fails
The minute the play is considered finished by the referees, the ball's final position is where the new line of scrimmage will be for the next play.
Fourth Down & Changing Possessions
The offence has only 4 'chances' in terms of plays to advance the ball either far enough to score or advance the ball far enough to gain another 4 chances. Each chance is called a "down".
The offences’ primary mission is to score a touchdown in each play; if that is not possible, the offence may choose to advanced the ball 9.14m (10 yards) or more from where the ball started to retain their position as the offence. If the offence fails to achieve a touchdown or 9.14m+ (called a "first-down"), a "changing of possession" occurs, the team with the ball now becomes the defence. Another type of "changing of possession" is through "turnovers" in which the roles of the teams change due to an interception or a "fumble" that is recovered by the defence.
Although the strategies governing plays in the first 3 downs are generally the same, 4-down plays present a unique problem for the offensive team. There are a few options the offence considers:
• Resume a normal running/passing play: Just as the team did for the first 3 downs, it will try doing the same plays as before. This choice is made when the offence is confident that it advance the ball a little further on the 4-down play to earn a first-down or the offence has nothing to lose if it is unsuccessful.
• Kicking a field goal: If the ball is close enough to the opponent's goalpost, most field goal attempts take place within 32m (35 yards) or so from the endzone.
• Punting: Usually, the last option to be considered by the offensive team. This play happens when it is unlikely that the team can get a first-down because it has too much ground, the defence is really strong and the goalpost are too far away. Punting the ball insures that when the other team gains possession, they will have many more yards to go before scoring.
Time-outs are periods during the game that stop the game clock and allow players to rest and/or go over plays with the coach. Each team can call a maximum of 3 time-outs within 2 quarters of the game. Each time out lasts exactly 1 minute and 50 seconds except. Teams can't call consecutive time-outs with a play being executed in between and unused time-outs do not carry over.
Substitutions
Substitutions are a mandatory, substitutions can occur at any point during the game as long as no play is occurring and that there are only 11 players from one team on the field at a time.
The offence is not allowed to rush and start a play when substitutions are still occurring on the defence.
Back to Top