Can someone explain american football rules to someone in a VERY simple way to a non-American?

Question

What may seem like second nature to some is totally alien to others. Despite watching a few games, I just don't get it at all! Americans keep referring to rugby to explain the rules but I'm not into rugby so that doesn't help. Grateful if someone could explain the rules simplistically without the smart-a$$ juvenile comments that you get on this site. Thanks.

PS downs and hand-off mean nothing to me!

Answer 1

there is no simple way to be honest with you.

the main idea is to get the ball over the other team's end line to score a "touchdown" worth 6 points.

you have 4 attempts to advance the ball 10 yards (a little bit under 10 meters)

Once you advance 10 yards you get 4 more attempts to go 10 yards, usually if you don't do it in 3 tries you kick the ball towards the other teams end either by punting it-similar to what a soocer goalkeeper does to clear the ball or have another player hold the ball upright on the ground for someone to kick at "goal post" which has a cross bar ten feet off the ground (about 3 meters) with the post about 16 feet across (5 meters apart) sticking up, If you kick it between the uprights and over the cross bar you get 3 points for a "field goal".

That's the scoring atleast I could go on for days trying to explain the rest of the details.

For some simplier explanation of the rules you make want to find some of the websites for NFL Europe, since they are aimed at Europeans it may give you some simplier explanations of the rules

Try www.nfleurope.com

Answer 2

Obviously, the goal is to advance the ball into the opponent's end zone. It's a 100 yard field (you're on your own for the conversion to the metric system).

The offense gets 4 opportunities to advance the ball 10 yards. If they don't, they have to give the ball up to the other team. Usually, if the offense is far from getting that 10 yards by the end of the 3rd try, they will elect to punt the ball to the other team (therefore getting the ball much farther from their own end zone). If they do advance the ball 10 yards within 4 tries, they get another 4 tries to advance another 10 yards.

There are a WHOLE lot of rules about advancing the ball, and you really have to watch the game a while to understand them. Long story short, your quarterback can either pass the ball forward... or hand it backward to a running back. Passing will likely get you more yardage than running, but it's much riskier.

If an offense is close to the opponent's end zone... but they don't think they can get all the way there... they can elect to kick a field goal. That means they bring on a specialist to kick the ball through uprights at the back of the end zone. It's worth fewer points than a touchdown, but it's less risky.

Those are the basics, I think. You will never get a full understanding of the game from Yahoo! Answers though.

Answer 3

The object of American football is to advance the ball downfield and across the goal line into the end zone, resulting in a touchdown and six points, or advance the ball within range of the goal posts and kick it through, resulting in a field goal and three points. Also, following a touchdown, a team may attempt a short kick for a 'point after touchdown' (PAT) or advance the ball a short distance across the goal for two points. Teams are divided into offense and defense. The offense has four chances to move at least 10 yards downfield for another set of chances. These are called 'downs.' An offense will combine runs and passes to accomplish the goal of either scoring a touchdown or getting another set of downs. Obviously, the defense resists these efforts, trying to force a turnover, in which case their own offense takes over. The game is divided into four 15 minute quarters with a 10 minute halftime. The modern professional game emphasizes passing the ball, but running the ball and stopping the run are still considered key elements of the game. There are 11 players per side allowed on the field, with frequent substitutions. A typical pro roster has 53 players, roughly 1/2 offense, 1/2 defense as well as a few 'specialists', i.e. kickers. Rules vary for a tie; in the pro game, an extra 15 minute period is played, but the first team to score in 'overtime' wins. This is called 'sudden death.' American football is essentially like a game of chess combined with wrestling and sprinting. Teams constantly try to create match-up problems between their respective squads. Example: an offense may bring several fast receivers into the game with the expectation that the defense won't be able to guard all of them equally. The quarterback, something of a platoon leader, tries to spot the matchup inequality and throw the ball to the receiver most likely to be open. Conversely, a team may load up on blockers and runners and try to overwhelm a defense physically. Generally, football waxes between long, time-consuming drives that wear down a defense and use a lot of time, and sudden plays that result in a quick score. It's notable that the defense can also score, by taking the ball away and running it across the goalline into the end zone; also, touchdowns can be scored during kicks when one player receives the ball on a kick-off or a punt and using his blockers, eludes the other team and 'runs the kick back.' A regulation field is 100 yards long, 50 yards wide, with two ten yard end zones at each end. The numbered lines on the field are there to indicate position of the ball in order to mark off the 10 yards necessary for another set of downs. Note: the rules of the game are myriad and may affect how far a team has to advance. However, both sides always play with 11 on a side. If a player is ejected (rare) they are replaced by a teammate. Hope that gives you a picture. Good luck! The National Football League begins its pre-season in August. This is a good time to drop in and watch as those games are essentially meaningless and fans can explain the nuances without flipping out over what their team is doing. Peace, Andre

Answer 4

11 guys on offense...11 guys on defese....Offense consists of Recievers, Running Backs, linemen, and Quarterback

Recievers also include Tight Ends in most cases...they catch the ball when thrown. and then run like crazy if they can

Running backs take hand offs and use their agility and speed to get down field...or use power and heavy hits to pound their way downfield.

Linemen block for the running backs and quarter backs...tight ends also do this.

Quarterbacks can run with the ball, hand it off, pass it...or in some cases hand the ball off and have somebody throw it to them (rare, but it happens)

Basically the defense is linemen, line backers, and secondary

Linemen rush the quarterback...that is put pressure on him and try to tackle him before he gets the ball off...they also stop the running back if they can.

Linebackers....back up the linemen...they blitz (rush the quarterback) or cover the recievers...or wait for the running back to get in the open

Secondary is Safeties and Corners...Safeties stay in the middle generally and stop runs, inside passes, or blitz...depending on how they're needed. Corners cover the recievers so they can't catch it...and many times they try to catch the ball (called an interception) then their offense takes over.

The goal is to get the ball into the "end zone" for 6 points...kick and extra point or two point conversion to total 7 or 8 points per touchdown...or kick a field goal..that is if you have a 4th down and can't convert for a 1st...you can kick the ball between the posts for 3 points.

That's about it....60 minute game....4 downs to get another set of downs....

Yeah...

Answer 5

rules....wayyyy too long to explain. If you mean what is the goal,besides winning it's basically the teams each try to score in the opponents endzone to gain points who ever has the most at the end of 4 qtrs wins! EDIT: Ditka i'm sure you have a bevy of chicks dying to be with you HAHAHAHAHAHAHA right I don't think so. The way you talk about women makes me think you have a small d!ck and no woman wants to be with you in the first place. Stop being bitter over it and get a penis implant then leave us chicks alone!!!!

Answer 6

You're best bet is to watch a game with someone who understands the rules (is patient) and can explain as the game progresses.

Try the site below before sitting with a friend to watch. This may help

Answer 7

2 teams. 2 scoring zones. 1 for each. Each teams follow plays ( plans of
1.) how to make sure the other team doesn't score (defense)
2.) how to prevent the other team from stopping your scorer (offense) )
They go through four quarters, or timed parts of the game, and whoever scores the most wins.

Goal - getting into the scoring zone = 6 points
And so on. Field goals - you kick into the net above the scoring ground.
Hope that helped.

Answer 8

YOU HAVE FOUR DOWNS TO MOVE THE BALL TEN YARDS, YOU CAN RUN OR PASS TO GET THE YARDAGE. AFTER FOUR DOWNS WITHOUT SUCCESS, YOU MUST TURN THE BALL OVER TO THE OTHER TEAM... IT'S VERY INVOLVED AFTER THAT. JUST WATCH AND TAKE IT SLOW...

Answer 9

this might help a bit

https://www.yaledailynews.com/article.asp?AID=30988