Beginner’s Guide To The NFL

We’re pretty sure you will have heard of either the NFL or American Football. Maybe you already know the ball is egg-shaped and that actually, there’s far more throwing and catching of the ball than its name would suggest!

Known simply as ‘football’ in the United States, ‘America’s Game’ is represented at the professional level by the sporting powerhouse known as the National Football League (NFL). With a short, explosive regular season that runs from September to January and only 17 games per team, ‘football’ season captivates a nation and has in recent years expanded successfully into different countries, with teams playing annual games in the likes of Mexico City, Munich and of course, London.

NFL games have been taking place consistently in London since 2007, with venues like Wembley, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium regularly hosting matches and giving UK fans the full flavour of the NFL extravaganza.

However, whilst iconic names like Montana, Marino, and Madden may have transcended the sport and internationally staged games have increased global awareness and popularity, for the uninitiated amongst us, understanding the sport of American Football can be quite tricky.

So, if you’re an NFL rookie, or want to grasp the basics and don’t know your sacks and snaps from drives and downs, here’s our ultimate guide to understanding American Football. You will thank us when the NFL London Series kicks off in October…

Credit: NFL UK – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t6hM5tRlfA

the basics

Before you get into the intricacies of the game, it’s essential to master the basics, Understanding these fundamental aspects will enhance your experience of American Football.

What is the aim of the game?

The purpose of the game is to carry the ball into the opposition’s end zone. This can be achieved through throwing the ball successfully to a team-mate, or by running with the ball until the ball carrier is tackled to the floor. Conversely, when the opposition has the ball, tackling opponents to prevent them from reaching your end zone is the purpose.

How big is the field?

The field is 100 yards long and 53 yards wide with white markings called yard markers, which help keep track of the ball. However, probably the most important part of the field is the endzone; an additional 10 yards at each end of the field where each team tries to and score a touchdown.

How Does The Game Clock Work?

Each game consists of four 15-minute quarters, with a 12-minute break for halftime. In addition, there are two-minute breaks at the end of the first and third quarters, this is so teams can change ends of the field after every 15 minutes of play.

The game clock will stop under the following circumstances: an incomplete pass, if a player goes out of bounds, or due to a penalty (which will be covered later in this guide).

Should the game end in a tie, sudden death will occur, with victory awarded to the first team that scores. However, starting with the 2021-22 season, new rules ensure that during the playoffs, both teams get a chance to possess the ball, even if the first team to play scores.

With stoppages such as time-outs and TV commercials, the average NFL game lasts approximately three hours.

Time Out – the opportunities each team has to temporarily stop the game. During each half, teams are entitled to three time-outs. Should the game extend into overtime, two time-outs are granted to each team throughout the 15-minute sudden death period.

What Are Downs?

This rule is essential to the game: the offence is tasked with moving the ball forward 10 yards over four tries, tracked by the yard markers. Successfully moving 10 yards earns another first down, while failure to do so hands possession to the other team. The offence often opts to kick the ball on the fourth down if they haven’t met the 10-yard requirement.

What Are Plays?

Commonly planned by the head coach or quarterback, these actions require the cooperation of 11 players to progress the ball. While these plays are mostly associated with offensive efforts, defensive teams use similar strategies to stop the ball and block the opponents from advancing to the end zone.

If the offence team does not start this play or kick a field goal within 40 seconds, they will incur a penalty.

How does scoring work?

Touchdown = 6 points

Extra point and the two-point conversion = 1 or 2 points

Field goal = 3 points

Safety = 2 points

Players and Positions

An American football team is made up of 45 players in total, however, there are only 11 players from each side on the field at any one time.

This 45-man team is then broken down into three specialised units:

• The Offence – 11 attacking players that are tasked with scoring points
• The Defence – 11 defensive players whose aim is to stop the opposition from scoring
• Special Teams –11 players who are neither offensive nor defensive, but are involved in kicking plays

 

the offenCe

Whichever team has possession of the ball is the offence. While only the quarterback, wide receivers, tight ends, and the running backs tend to be the significant ball handlers, it is the quarterback who is the leader of the team and the playmaker. The quarterback not only throws the ball, but he delivers the play calls to his offence.

 

offensive positions

Although these positions are standard across most games, different teams might employ various arrangements depending on their strategic plans.

• Offensive Linemen (The O Line) – There are five positions on the offensive line; Left Tackle, Left Guard, Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle. These are easy to remember because they are always in the middle of the field, and their positions go in order from left to right.
  • Tackles – This player’s role is to block defensive players attempting to bypass him and tackle an offensive player. Notable left tackles include Joe Thomas and Anthony Munoz.
  • Guards – Guards not only block defensive attempts to tackle offensive players but also exhibit greater mobility than their fellow offensive linemen. They are regularly called upon to run and “pull” to the sides, aiding in creating openings in the field. Distinguished guards such as Larry Allen, Mike Munchak, and Gene Upshaw exemplify this position.
  • Center – The centre’s responsibility is to deliver the football directly to the quarterback. This hike involves placing the ball on the ground and snapping it between the centre’s legs to the quarterback, enabling the play’s commencement. The ball can be handed off directly or snapped back if the QB is further back. Centres such as Mike Webster, Dwight Stephenson, and Jim Otto are well-known for this role.
• The Quarterback (QB) – regarded as the most important position in American Football, their job is to lead the offence, relay the plays to the other players, throw the ball, or hand the ball off to another player. Every single play, minus a very few trick plays, will begin with the ball in the quarterback’s hand. The majority of a quarterback’s contributions will come from throwing passes to other players. Some famous examples of quarterbacks are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, and Joe Montana.
• Wide Receivers (WR) – There are primarily two kinds of wide receivers in the NFL: wideouts and slot receivers, both tasked mainly with catching passes. Famous wide receivers such as Terrell Owens, Antonio Brown, Jerry Rice, Odell Beckham Jr., and Larry Fitzgerald exemplify this role.
• The Running Back (RB) – A running back contributes mostly by having the ball handed to him by the QB, and then running as far down the field as he can before he gets tackled. He can also catch the ball like a WR, but that is his second priority despite it still being very important for him to do. You can find running backs lined up behind the QB on most football plays. Legendary NFL running backs include Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, and LaDainian Tomlinson.
• The Fullback (FB) – Once the most revered position in American Football, fullbacks nowadays are more often large players who block for the running back. They line up between the QB and RB and use their running head start to clear a running path for the RB behind them.
• Tight Ends (TE) – In American Football, tight ends are positioned size-wise between offensive linemen and other players. Their responsibilities include both catching passes and blocking. Typically aligned next to the offensive line, tight ends may block or break into open field to receive passes during a play. Celebrated examples of tight ends are Jason Witten, Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, and Tony Gonzalez.

 

The Defence

The job of the defence is to stop the offence. The 11 men on the defensive team all work together to keep the offence from advancing toward the defence’s end zone.

 

DEFENSIVE positions

The defensive team is not limited to specific positions by the rules of American football, unlike the offensive team. These are some of the positions for players performing defensive roles:

• Defensive Linemen (The D Line) – Consisting of Defensive Ends (DE’s) and Defensive Tackles (DT’s). They line up directly across from the offensive line and typically, but not exclusively, consist of three or four men. Their job is to try to tackle the QB before he throws the ball, known as a “sack”, or to tackle the RB before he gets past them.
  • Defensive Ends – located on the end of the defensive line. Often described as ‘pass rushers,’ their principal duty is to rush the quarterback and either sack him or force him into making an errant throw. Famous examples of defensive ends are Reggie White, Deacon Jones, and JJ Watt.
  • Defensive Tackle – located in the middle of the D Line, there are typically one or two defensive tackles. DTs are usually meant to disrupt the lanes as an RB may run through and force O-lines to double-team them so defensive ends can get to the QB. They don’t record many tackles or sacks but are instrumental in a defensive play. Famous examples of DTs include John Randle, Warren Sapp, ‘Mean’ Joe Greene, and ‘The Fridge’ William Perry.

• Linebackers (LB) – located directly back behind the defensive line, there are typically three or four linebackers on the field, usually three if there are four defensive linemen, and four if there are three defensive linemen. There are three types of linebackers: the two outside linebackers, the strong and weak side, and the middle linebackers. Famous linebackers include Lawrence Taylor, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs.
• Cornerbacks (CB) – the direct defensive answer to a wide receiver. They line up directly in front of a WR and their job is to guard them as best they can to prevent a WR from catching a pass. Corners are one of the most important positions in football. They’re typically the fastest position on the defence. There can be anywhere from two to four corners on the field at any time, but two is typical. Famous examples of a CB are Deon Sanders, Richard Sherman, Charles Woodson, and Champ Bailey.
• Safeties (FS or SS) – There are two types of safeties: a free safety (FS) and a strong safety (SS). Safeties are located the farthest back from the offensive side of the ball. They are the last line of defence and whilst they line up together, have very different roles:
  • Free Safety – the true last line of defence. His role is predominantly defensive, focusing on pass coverage by observing the field and anticipating the ball’s trajectory to respond accordingly. Typically viewed as a playmaker, he intercepts passes and halts deep-field plays. His freedom to roam across the field and impact plays earn him the title of free safety.
  • Strong Safety – like a linebacker but with more speed. He usually takes his position on the left side, known as the strong side of the field, and advances to help stop running backs. Though part of his role is to cover the field, he predominantly acts like a linebacker, tasked with extensive coverage duties. His effective tackling and strategic placement on the strong side classify him as a strong safety.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

This often overlooked third unit of the team is made up of players who man the kick coverage, punt coverage, field goal, and punt teams. Each team has a kicker and punter to kick the ball in certain situations. They spend the least amount of time on the field but can often have a major impact on the result of a game.

• Kickers – These are the players responsible for kick-offs, field goals, and extra points. They kick the football off the ground to earn more points for their team. Although this player might not be involved in much of the game, he can make or break the result of a game. Noteworthy kickers include Adam Vinatieri, George Blanda, and Justin Tucker.
• Holders – the players that receive the ball and hold it on the ground for kickers to kick. If they fumble with the ball, it could result in a missed field goal or the kicker missing the ball altogether.
• Punters – responsible for dropping the ball and kicking it very far to the other end of the field. This happens when the offensive team wishes to switch possession and give it to the other team instead of trying to gain yardage on fourth down. The punter has an extra blocker behind the line of scrimmage with them, known as a punt protector (PP). Illustrious punters include Shane Lechler, Ray Guy, and Johnny Hekker.
• Returners – the players who catch the ball after a punt or kick-off. After catching the ball, they can either attempt to run down the field to put their team in a better position or signal for a fair catch. A fair catch means the kicking team cannot tackle the returner and the receiving team’s offence starts at the location where the ball was caught. Famous returners include Gail Sayers, Devin Hester, and Joshua Cribbs.
• Gunners – a player who “guns” down the field to try to tackle the opposing returner. They are usually positioned on the side-lines and are especially fast runners. Their main opposition on special teams is the jammers.
• Jammers – tasked with blocking the gunners at the line of scrimmage to prevent them from getting to the punt returner.
• Blockers – a critical part of the special teams unit. Blockers on the receiving team help protect the returner from the opposing special teams unit, who attempt to tackle the returner after they catch the ball. Blockers on the kicking team prevent opposing players from reaching the kicker or punter to disrupt the kick. Jammers function as blockers against the gunners on the outside of the field.
• Snappers – the player who “snaps” the ball to the holder during extra points or field goal kicks. He must have extreme accuracy and precision, as kickers and punters stand farther away from the offensive lines than a quarterback would.

Why Did The Whistle Blow? Penalties Explained

If the referee has seen something or suspects foul play, he will blow the whistle and penalties will be awarded accordingly.

offensive penalties:

• False Start – Every member of the offence must come to a full stop before the ball is snapped. A false start occurs when a member of the offensive unit moves in before the moment prior to the snapping of the ball to begin a play. When this happens, the offence moves backwards five yards as a penalty.
• Holding – A holding penalty is awarded when an offensive player illegally grabs a defender to stop them from chasing the ball carrier. A 10-yard penalty is assessed against the offence.
• Offensive Pass Interference (OPI) – OPI is called when an offensive player gains an advantage by pushing off, or blocking, a defender when the ball is in the air in a passing play. A 15-yard penalty and a loss of down are assessed against the offence. A loss of down means that unlike with other infractions where a yardage penalty is assessed but the down remains the same on the next play (i.e., ‘replay 2nd down’), OPI carries the weight of lost yardage and one fewer opportunity to gain it back (i.e., 2nd down becomes 3rd down).

DEFENSIVE PENALTIES

Just like the offensive side, the NFL also has specific penalties for the defensive side in American football.

• Encroachment/Offside – This occurs when a defensive player lines up in the ‘neutral zone’ when the ball is snapped by the offence. A five-yard penalty is awarded against the defensive unit.
• Holding – A holding penalty is awarded when a defensive player illegally grabs an opposing player to stop them from catching the ball (prior to the ball being thrown) or to stop a player from advancing to block further downfield. A 5-yard penalty is awarded against the defence, and the offence is awarded a new set of downs.
• Defensive Pass Interference (DPI) – DPI is called when a defensive player gains an advantage by pushing or blocking an offensive player when the ball is in the air in a passing play. The ball is moved to the spot where the foul was committed (thus, DPI is sometimes referred to as a ‘spot foul’) and the offence is awarded a new set of downs.

What are the key terms used in the nfl?

Refine your knowledge of NFL football with this comprehensive glossary of key terms.

• Conferences – The NFL operates with two primary conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), each containing 16 teams. These conferences are each divided into four divisions of four teams, generally arranged by geographic proximity. This arrangement began with the AFL-NFL merger in 1966.
• Divisions – The two conferences, the AFC and NFC, are split into four divisions of four teams based on geography. Each conference has an East, West, North and South division. Each division plays the other teams in their division twice (home and away) making up six games of the 17-game schedule.
• Drive – A series of plays by the offence to move the ball towards the opposition’s end zone.
• Downs – A single play between the offence and the defence (or special teams and the defence). A team must gain 10 yards in a maximum of four downs to keep possession of the ball. Once the 10 yards are gained, a team earns a further four downs to gain the next 10 yards, and so on.
• End zone – The scoring zone for an offence to either throw or run the ball into to score a touchdown. The defence is tasked with defending the end zone.
• Franchise – The NFL is made up of 32 franchises, or teams. Franchises are usually named after the location in which they are based with a mascot or moniker attached (e.g., Jacksonville Jaguars). Franchises occasionally move from city to city to capitalise on bigger commercial markets.
• Fumble – This occurs when a player who has the ball in their possession loses control of the ball without being down by contact. The loose ball can then be picked up by either side to gain possession.
• Gridiron – A jargon name for the field on which the game is played.
• Interception – Occurs when a member of the defence catches a pass from the opposing Quarterback, gaining possession of the football for their team.
• Line of scrimmage – The line where every offensive play begins.
• Playoffs – The playoffs are the end-of-season tournament which culminates in the Super Bowl. Seven teams from each conference earn a playoff berth each season. The four division winners are awarded seeds 1-4 and three wildcard teams – the teams with the next-best records in the conference – earn seeds 5-7.
• Pick-six – The phrase used when a defensive player intercepts the opposing quarterback and takes the ball to the end zone for a touchdown.
• Possession – The name for whichever team has the ball at that point in the game. It can also refer to having physical control of the football during a play.
• Punt – Traditionally used on fourth down, the punt is where the ball is dropped and kicked before touching the ground. It tends to be used to move the ball further upfield when the team has failed to make 10 yards in three plays.
• Red zone – The area between the 20-yard line and the end zone. It is often noted how high a team’s red-zone percentage is: how many times they score from inside the 20-yard line.
• Sack – This is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind his own line of scrimmage. Defensive linemen and linebackers traditionally pick up the most sacks.
• Safety – Safety occurs when the offence commits a foul in their own end zone, fumbles the ball out of their end zone, or are tackled in their own end zone. When this happens, the opponent is awarded 2 points.
• Snap – The moment an offensive play begins. The centre snaps the ball through his legs to the quarterback (or occasionally another player) to signal the start of the play.
• Super Bowl – The grand finale of the NFL season. The game pits the NFC Champion against the AFC Champion.
• Trick Play – This manoeuvre, also known as gadget play, gimmick play, or trickeration, is designed to deceive the opposing team using untraditional and cunning tactics.
• Touchdown – A touchdown is scored when the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponent’s goal line and is in possession of a runner or catcher who has advanced from the field of play into the end zone.
• Turnover – When the ball is accidently lost from the offensive and the defence gain control.

To witness the NFL spectacle live at a huge game like Chicago Bears v Jacksonville Jaguars and put your beginner’s guide to the best use possible, take a look at our NFL premium hospitality options here.